Don't Dream It's Over
by sundayxmorningx
Summary: It seemed like everything was against them... Sometimes, it could get overwhelming. That wouldn't stop them from being together though. Not if they can help it. DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nope. I got the title from the song, "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House. Another 80s mood.**

**A/N: I've been working on this for a while and updates will be really slow because school is hectic. Plus, this story is really hard for me to develop. Please be patient.**

**I got the idea from Zoey (tumblr: degrassiheavenxoxo).**

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Clare sat nervously by Eli's bedside in the hospital. Her hair was a mess and her make-up was smeared but that was the last of her concerns. She looked back at Eli – he looked so peaceful. She knew that feeling wouldn't last long the moment he'd wake up. Clare pushed some of his hair away, trying to get a better look at his face. He had a few scratches, but nothing serious. The only major injury he had was a broken right arm. The doctors said he was going to be sore for a few days and suggested he use a wheelchair. She sent God a small prayer and thanked Him for letting Eli survive.

She sighed and tried to push back her tears. An immense set of guilt weighed her down as memories of today flashed in her mind.

_"How could you do this to me, Clare?" Eli asked._

_Clare chewed on her lip, "You need to figure things out."_

_"You made a promise," he reminded her, "That you'd never leave me."_

_"And I won't," she said quickly, "I'll still be here. I just think it's best… if we were friends."_

_There was a small pause on the other end of the line._

_"So I guess this is it?" Eli's voice started to rise, "The months we spent together were just a waste?"_

_Clare hesitated with an answer._

_"What happened to me being your rock?" he yelled, "What happened to being stuck with each other?"_

_"Eli please," she whimpered, "I'm trying to help you…"_

_"Help me?" he scoffed, "It sounds like you're abandoning me."_

_She shook her head even though he couldn't see it, "I care about you and I always will. But maybe it's best if we're apart. Figure things out on our own."_

_Eli let out a twisted laugh, "You're going against everything you said about us! I can't believe this! When you were having troubles with your parents, I was there for you. When I started going to therapy, you were there for me. I want to get better, Clare. I put my heart and soul into this relationship but it feels like you aren't doing the same."_

_"How could you even say that?" Clare raised her voice, "I put in just as much effort as you! I have never felt like this about anyone and if I didn't care so much, I wouldn't have put in any effort at all! You mean so much to me, Eli, and you don't even know! I love you!"_

_Another silence filled the line._

_"Don't say that," his voice deepened, "Don't say it if you don't mean it."_

_"I do mean it," she said. She really did._

_"You love me but you're breaking up with me," Eli seethed, "It doesn't really work that way."_

_"When you love someone, sometimes you have to let them go," Clare whispered._

_"You're doing a pretty fucking fantastic job!" he said, "You ripped my heart out!"_

_Tears were making their way to her cheeks, "I'm sorry… Maybe it's best that we are just friends. Maybe this was just too much for us. Maybe…"_

_"How can you throw us away?" Eli continued to scream, "After everything we have been through!"_

_"We're not meant to be together!" Clare yelled._

_"We are."_

_The line went dead shortly after._

_"Eli," she started to panic, "Eli! Answer me!"_

_Clare raced back into the auditorium to find Alli. She couldn't form any coherent sentences but Alli was able to figure out what was going on. The two of them looked for Sav who willingly drove them to search for Eli. Sav drove around the area while Clare looked through the window. Alli tried to get a hold of Adam, who was at home._

_Everything seemed to slow down when they saw police cars and an ambulance at a street corner. They immediately recognized Morty and saw the damage that was done to the front. Two EMT's carried a stretcher into the ambulance. Clare briefly saw Eli before tears clouded her vision. Alli got out of the passenger seat and wrapped her best friend in a hug._

Eli slightly moved bringing Clare back to the present. She looked up at him to see if he had woken up but his eyes were still closed and his breathing was steady. With some hesitation, she took a hold of his hand and squeezed it.

_"We're not meant to be together!"_

She never meant that. She wanted Eli to figure things out on his own. The two of them were practically inseparable and while it was a great feeling, it was also overwhelming. They were so caught up with each other that they had lost themselves as individuals.

They had their own problems to deal with and they tried to be strong for each other, but it was proving to be harder to do each day. Clare's parents continued to fight and she anticipated the day that their divorce was finalized. Eli's hoarding was slowly improving and the therapy was helping, but the anniversary of Julia's death had been a setback.

His behavior changed – he had gotten more protective, clingy. He tried to push everything aside and only focus on Clare. She knew it wasn't good for him but he wouldn't listen. Even Adam wasn't sure what to do. They had spoken to Eli's parents who tried to help him the best they could. They thought they were making progress, but it was just a lie as Eli faked his way with a smile.

"Clare?"

She turned around to see CeCe and Bullfrog at the doorway. The older woman immediately wrapped her in a hug. Clare held CeCe tightly, no longer fighting the tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I pushed him over the edge… I did this… I'm sorry…"

"Shh, baby girl, shh," CeCe cooed, "You did no such thing."

"I told him… I told him we weren't meant to be together," Clare choked, "But I didn't mean it! I don't know why I said that! I didn't mean it!"

"I know," his mother reassured her, "I know…"

Bullfrog quietly made his way to Eli and took a seat. He let out a sigh, his son resembled him too much – his taste in music, his temper, his attitude. He should have seen the signs sooner.

"How long have you been here?" he asked Clare, "Do you need to get home?"

She shook her head, "I told my parents where I was and I told them that I was staying here all night, if you let me."

"Of course," CeCe answered and Bullfrog nodded.

The three sat silently as they watched over the boy they all shared a common love for.

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**A/N: So… how was it? I really don't have much more to say. Please review and let me know! =)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews and alerts! So how's the story going so far? Let's see what happens next.**

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Eli slowly opened his eyes and groaned at the bright light. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust and once it did, he realized that he was in the hospital. He looked around and saw that his right arm was now in a cast. He immediately remembered what happened. He clenched his left hand, trying to control his anger and sadness.

"Eli?"

He looked up and saw his mom standing there with a small smile on her face.

"Hey mom," he said.

"Baby boy…" she sat on the bed with him.

"Please spare me the lecture," he groaned, "I feel like shit in every way possible."

CeCe pushed his hair back, "Well, you did give us all a scare."

Eli shifted as guilt filled his body, "I really am sorry. I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't have done that."

She sighed, "I don't know what your father and I would do if we lost you."

"I promise. Never again," he said, meaning every word of it.

His mother let out another sigh as she looked at her son. She wished that she could just take away the pain and never let him feel it again. She also knew that was unrealistic and it was all a part of growing up. Things in life were never fair and this was one of them. CeCe gave him a genuine smile indicating that she trusted his words.

Just then, the door opened and the two looked up to see Clare quietly making her way into the room. She was looking down as she closed the door behind her. Her hair was slightly puffed up as if she didn't bother to fix it. She stopped at her tracks when she noticed that Eli was awake. Her blue eyes flashed with relief then with regret.

CeCe got up, "I'm going to get you something to eat and call your father at the radio station. He keeps calling every half hour to see if you've woken up."

Eli watched helplessly as his mom left the room. He turned his attention back at Clare, who remained at her spot.

"You're dressed awfully nice for a hospital visit," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

"I stayed the night," she said quietly.

"Oh," he replied, "Thanks."

Clare gave him a small smile as tears started to cascade down her cheeks. She furiously wiped them away and mentally cursed herself for losing her composure. She had done nothing but cry this whole time. Eli watched with sad eyes as she wiped her face. Despite the words they exchanged last night, he still wanted to walk over to her and take the tears away.

"Why?" she asked.

He sat silently and thought carefully about his answer.

"Why would you do that?" she choked, "You scare me."

He sighed, "Maybe I really am as messed up as I thought I was."

She rushed over to him, "I tried to help you, Eli. I was trying to do what I thought was best."

"Clare," he looked at her, "You have done more for me than I could have ever asked for."

Their eyes met briefly. His green eyes tried to search her blue ones for something… anything.

"I never meant what I said," Clare looked down, "About us not being meant to be together."

"Then why did you say it?" Eli asked quietly.

"We spend all of our time together," she explained, "It's like we don't have our own identities anymore. I care about you and I know you care about me too but I think we need to be able to function without each other. No matter how I say this, it's going to sound horrible."

He remained quiet. She was almost scared to continue.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded, "I really have been suffocating you, huh?"

She winced at the word, "Well, I guess that wasn't the right word to say… But I know you had good intentions."

Eli hesitantly grabbed her hand. Clare gave it a squeeze telling him that it was ok.

"I know things haven't been easy for us… especially this week," she said carefully, "I just wish you had talked to me or Adam or your parents."

"It's not that easy, you know that," he told her, "I'm used to keeping things to myself and trying to solve things on my own."

She took a deep breath, "Please… don't do this again…"

"Never," he answered quickly, "I'll go to therapy, I'll take medication if I have to, I'll write in a journal, I'll have people constantly call me and see if I'm ok. I'll do anything. I don't want to lose you."

"Eli," she caressed his hand, "You were never going to lose me. I told you – you're stuck with me."

He closed his eyes, "You have no idea how good that sounds."

Clare examined him – he looked physically worn out, but emotionally, he was doing better. Last night was a wake-up call for the both of them. Their problems were far from over and they were scared to see what was in store for them.

Eli wanted Clare by his side, but he also knew that some distance between them was good. _Were they going to remain together or were they going to take a break? _That question ran through his mind. His eyes were still closed as she leaned over him and kissed his cheek. Eli opened his eyes.

"I should call my parents," she got up and made her way to the door, "Your mom should be back soon."

Her back was turned to him but he could see that she was slowly losing her composure again. The same question rang through Clare's mind as she reached for the handle.

"I love you too."

She turned around, almost unsure of what he said. A smile was planted on his face causing her to smile back. Without warning, Clare ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Eli instinctively put his hands on her waist, which was a small challenge since he was confined to the bed.

No other words were exchanged as their actions said it all.

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**A/N: Hooray! At least this one had a happier ending than the previous chapter. Please review. =) I always love hearing from all of you. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'm sorry for the lack of updates. I'm stressing out over school and just haven't had time. Thanks for sticking with me and this story. **

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It was now Sunday and Eli was getting restless in the hospital. He had only been there since Friday evening but it was starting to feel like a lifetime. On the plus side, he was able to freshen up. The down side, he was stuck using a wheelchair as a nurse pushed him to his destination. The doctors said that he could stretch, but restricted him from further movement. His parents had left to eat brunch and promised to check by later. He grabbed his phone and texted Clare.

_Will I be seeing you today…?_

He hit "Send" and mentally slapped himself for sounding so needy. She responded within seconds.

_Not today =/ I'm out with my parents (surprisingly, they're not yelling at each other). I'll visit you when I can!_

He was a bit disappointed but figured it was probably for the better. They did say that they would give each other space. Were they still together? It was never actually discussed before Clare left yesterday. His phone buzzed.

_I think you'll be getting visitors today, though. I love you =)_

Eli's mind was at ease when he read the last sentence. He immediately responded.

_I love you too :)_

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. Adam poked his head in but kept his eyes closed.

"Are you decent?" he asked.

Eli looked down, "Am I not supposed to be?"

His best friend opened his eyes and let out a sigh of relief, "I don't know… Maybe you were getting a sponge bath or something."

He simply rolled his eyes at the response. Adam entered in first and was followed by Sav, then Alli. He was a bit surprised to see her but welcomed her in.

"I was kind of dragged here by Sav," she said sheepishly, "But I am glad to see that you're safe."

Eli responded, "Thanks."

"Ooh," Adam noticed the cast, "That doesn't look pretty."

He simply shrugged, "Considering the damage could have been a lot worse, I'm pretty lucky to have escaped with just this."

"You probably get asked this a lot," Sav spoke up, "How are you doing?"

"Honestly," Eli answered, "I'm ok. Physically, I'm exhausted. Mentally, I'm improving. Emotionally, I'm in a good place."

Alli smiled, knowing the reason why for the latter. He caught it and smirked back.

"So when do you get out of here?" Adam asked.

"Some time tomorrow," he replied, "At least I don't have to miss school."

Sav nodded, "I think everyone needed Spring Break right about now."

"Eli…"

He looked over at his best friend, "I'm really glad that you're ok. I would have been a wreck without you. I mean, I know Drew is my brother and he's great… but you've become like a brother to me, too."

"I'm really sorry, Adam," he answered.

Adam cracked a smile, "I'm just going to have to keep a better eye out on you. I'll be your own personal locker stalker."

Eli rolled his eyes, "Great."

"But seriously," Adam continued, "You have always been there for me through everything. When I found out about what happened and you kept it all in… I felt like I wasn't being a good enough friend to you."

He interrupted, "Adam, you're not just my best friend. You're also my brother. I've always kept things to myself and opening up is still so new to me. I'm sorry I made you feel that way."

The younger boy nodded, "I understand. I know what it was like to keep things in."

"I'm gonna work on this," Eli assured, "It's going to take a while, but I'll work on this."

Sav moved slightly closer, "If you need anything, we're here for you. I mean it."

"Thanks," he said.

"So uh, I guess you're still going to therapy?" Adam asked.

Eli lightly chuckled, "I'm pretty sure my parents are making it mandatory. I even overheard them say that they would be coming and standing outside the door to make sure I don't leave."

"Ouch," Sav commented.

"It'll be worth it, though?" Alli looked at him, hopeful.

He smiled, "It will most definitely be worth it."

Adam watched the two, "Am I missing something?"

Eli and Alli looked at each other knowingly. Her brown eyes were excited as she bit her lip from saying anything.

"Clare told me that she loves me," Eli answered, looking at him.

Adam and Sav looked at each other before looking back at Eli, who was now sporting a goofy grin.

_"Do you have to go?" Eli pouted._

_Clare laughed, "I don't think my mom would be happy if I spent another night at the hospital."_

_He sighed playfully, "Fine."_

_She gave him a peck on the lips, "I'll be back."_

_"Good," he said against her lips._

_She picked up her bag and smiled at him one last time. She got to the edge of his bed when he stopped her._

_"Aren't you forgetting something?"_

_Clare turned around and saw a smirk on Eli's face._

_"Oh, of course," she walked over to him and snatched the chocolate chip cookie from his lunch tray._

_He looked at her with confusion as she smiled triumphantly._

_Clare giggled as she leaned down so that their noses were touching, "I love you, Eli Goldsworthy."_

_Eli smiled and brushed his lips against hers, "I love you, Clare Edwards."_

Adam rolled his eyes, "Can you two get any cheesier?"

"Probably," Sav replied.

"I think it's adorable," Alli continued to smile.

Eli didn't say it out loud, but he agreed with her.

"Well," she got up, "I'm going to get something to eat. I'll leave you guys to your bonding or whatever."

"Get me something too!" Adam dug into his pocket to get money.

Alli laughed, "Ok. Do you guys want anything?"

Sav and Eli both shook their heads and Alli walked out of the room. As soon as the door closed, their attention was back to the boy on the hospital bed.

"So you and Clare are good now?" Adam asked.

Eli nodded, "We care about each other but we also need some space apart. I guess that's going to be hard for me because I've become dependent on her."

"On the plus side, more time to hang out with the guys," Sav tried to lighten the mood.

"True," Eli agreed.

"This calls for a video game night!" Adam announced.

"I'm down," Sav gave him a fist bump.

Eli laughed at how quickly the energy could change between them.

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**A/N: It's not much but I wanted a bromance between Eli, Adam, and Sav. They've got a great friendship and I wished they showcased it on the show more. Please review… I always love hearing from you =)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So I guess the other chapter was a bit of a filler? But how can you resist bromance? Lol. Ok, hopefully this makes up for it…**

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Clare tossed and turned in her bed, getting frustrated with herself. This was the third night in a row where she couldn't get to sleep. She was able to catch up in the daytime but it was going to start affecting her when school started in a few days. Memories of Friday night continued to replay in her mind and they eventually turned into nightmares. There was no way in escaping it no matter how hard she tried. She contemplated her next move as she realized how late it was. The bright light on her cell phone glared at her. Slowly, she searched through her contacts and clicked the green button.

"Hello?" his voice was groggy.

"Eli?" she whispered.

"Clare?" he sounded more alert, "Are you ok?"

She played with her blankets, "I couldn't sleep."

"Oh," he was unsure what to say.

"Do you think you can stay on the phone with me?" she asked.

"Yeah of course," he said.

Clare let out a sigh, feeling better.

"Did you want to come over?" Eli blurted out.

The question caught her off guard, "What?"

"Sorry, he quickly added, "That was probably overstepping. I just thought maybe it would be better than staying on the phone."

She got up, "Actually, I kind of like that idea better."

He was shocked by her answer but tried to play it off, "What about your parents?"

"My mom isn't even home, she's visiting her sister, she explained, "My dad will be ok with it."

Eli nodded, "Ok, I'll ask Bullfrog to get you on his way home from work."

"Thanks," she hung up shortly after.

Clare quietly walked over to her parent's room and opened the door. Her dad was still awake, reading a book. He looked up and smiled.

"Is it ok if I go to Eli's tonight?" she asked, "I know it's late but it's still Spring Break and it's only for tonight…"

"Clare bear," Mr. Edwards interrupted, "It's fine. I know it hasn't been easy for you and I think it's good that you're going to see him."

"Really?" she got closer.

Her dad nodded, "It will be good for the both of you. You two need to talk about what happened."

"We've talked," she replied. It wasn't completely true – the last time she saw him was Monday when he was brought home. They barely had a chance to talk since CeCe, Bullfrog, Adam, Sav, and Alli were there.

"Well," he looked at her, "It never hurts to clarify things. I see the way Eli looks at you, he wants this to work. I honestly like him and I think he has good intentions when it comes to you."

"I thought dads were supposed to torment their daughter's boyfriend," Clare teased.

Mr. Edwards laughed, "Believe me, I tried to look for something, but I couldn't. Looks like you've got yourself a keeper."

She gave him a hug, "Thanks dad."

"Call me when you get there," he said, "And no funny business."

Clare blushed, "Dad…"

He chuckled, "Well you are still my daughter and he is a teenage boy."

She blushed further.

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Less than an hour later, Eli saw his door open and Clare stepping into his room. She wore blue pajama pants and a pink tank top with a gray jacket. She set her stuff down and walked over to him. He had put on a pair of green pajama bottoms but kept his upper body bare.

"Hi," she smiled.

"Hi," he smiled back.

She took off her jacket and joined him under the blankets. After getting comfortable, he slowly put his arm around her and snuggled closer. Their breathing had gained a steady rhythm as they felt themselves drifting off to sleep.

_"You ripped my heart out!"_

_"We're not meant to be together!"_

_"We are."_

_"You scare me."_

Clare was woken up from her nightmare with a light shake. Her breathing was heavy and tears had fallen freely on her face. A light was turned on and Eli hovered over her, his green eyes showed concern. He took his right hand and wiped the tears away. He kept his hand there, cupping her face. She looked into his eyes then to his lips. Her right hand touched his chest and snaked up to his neck. Before Eli could say anything, she pulled him in for a kiss.

It was rough, needy. Clare pressed her lips to his with such force that it was starting to hurt yet neither of them cared. His tongue grazed her bottom lip and she let him in willingly. She moved her hands from his neck to his back, scratching it softly earning a groan from him. His hands gripped her hips steadily, applying some pressure. They kissed for a while, afraid that breaking contact would cause the other to disappear. Their limbs managed to entwine together and it was only when Clare pushed her hips up to him, did they break their kiss.

"Sorry," Eli sounded breathless.

"For what?" she let out a breath, "I kissed you."

He smiled shyly at her and rolled over to his side, "What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?"

She shifted to her left to face him, "I've been having nightmares. About Friday night."

Eli sighed, playing with her hair.

"I wish I could take back what I said," Clare mumbled, "I'm sorry I pushed you over the edge."

"You're not the only one at fault," he replied, "I should have handled things better."

She kept her eyes on him, "I guess I still feel guilty for even saying it. You have always been so good to me."

"Not always," he cut in.

"Even still," she replied back, "I'm sorry."

Eli kissed her forehead, "You're forgiven as long as you can forgive me too. I was selfish with my actions. I wasn't thinking. I'm… I'm going to therapy again starting next week."

She smiled, "Of course you're forgiven."

Clare kept quiet while he continued to play with her hair. The ministrations started to calm her as her eyes fluttered open and close. Eli watched her – she looked flawless on the outside, but he knew she was torn on the inside.

"We're going to get through this, Clare," he said.

She opened her eyes, "I know."

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**A/N: Did it make up for it? I hope so. As for the next update, I really don't know. Again, this story is hard to write because my mind is racing with ideas and it's hard to tie them together. I've also got midterms this week and next so yeah… Please review! Reviews equal love. **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: If there is any confusion, Eli and Clare are still definitely together. They're just gonna try to be less dependent on each other and hang out with other friends. I hope that helps.  
Thank you for reading. =)**

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The clock ticked away as Eli sat on the brown couch, waiting for his therapy session to begin. School was back in session and the students of Degrassi were back to their gossiping ways. As he walked the halls, Eli was well aware of the looks some the students gave him – some with with pity, others with fear. He was never one to care about what they thought and it wasn't about to change now. He had seen Fitz on his way to English class and the two exchanged a nod. They no longer hated each other but they weren't exactly friends either. The rest of his encounters varied.

Principal Simpson showed concern.

_"If you ever need to talk, my door is always open," he said, "I have a daughter who attended this school and I know things can be tough."_

Eli gave him a curt nod, unsure of what to say.

Principal Simpson gave him one last look before walking into the main office.

Ms. Dawes treated him like any other student.

_"I see your enthusiasm for this class is still intact," she smiled as she walked into the room._

_"You just can't keep me away for my love of English, Ms. Dawes," he replied._

_"Flattery will not excuse you from the assignment due next week," Ms. Dawes retorted._

_Adam leaned in, "Flirting with the teacher? No wonder you always get A's."_

_Eli played along, "Don't tell Clare."_

_"Don't tell me what?" Clare suddenly appeared._

Sav was enthusiastic.

_"Guys night – my place," he slapped Eli in the back._

_Holly J looked at him, "Normally, I wouldn't be ok with you taking my boyfriend on a Friday night but I guess I'll make an exception."_

_Eli laughed, "Thanks."_

The rest of the day went by smoothly as Clare and Adam kept him company. Afterschool, his mom came to pick him up for therapy, where he was at now.

"Hello again Eli," Dr. Greensfeld greeted him. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, long brown hair, brown eyes, and a friendly smile.

"Hi," he said.

"So," she sat down, "Would you like me to start asking you questions?"

Eli sat up, "I'm not sure. It took me a while to open up the first time around. I don't think this time is any different."

She nodded, "There's no rush. We will go at your pace."

"But I do want to get better," he said, "I want to get past this and get better."

Dr. Greensfeld smiled, "Seems to me like you're already on your way."

* * *

The door opened and CeCe immediately jumped up, "How did it go?"

Eli looked at her, "Surprisingly, good."

She couldn't help but smile and give him a hug. He groaned in protest but hugged back.

"Did you get a lot of homework today?" she looked at him.

"Not too much," he shrugged, "I'll finish it tonight."

CeCe grabbed her purse, "Let's go home."

As she drove them home, CeCe noticed that Eli was practically attached to his phone. He tried to control his smile as he typed. It was a bit of a challenge due to his cast, but he had gotten the hang of it.

"Are you texting Clare?" she teased.

"Hmm," he simply answered.

She looked over at him, "You love her, don't you?"

He smiled wider, "She makes me feel normal. She understands me and still accepts me. I can't believe she loves me too."

CeCe was aware of the feeling – she felt the same about Bullfrog.

"I'm happy for you, baby boy," she said.

The smiled remained plastered on Eli's face as he looked at his phone. CeCe continued to drive.

"So can I start calling Clare my daughter in law?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Mom!" Eli's eyes widened.

"I'm just asking," she said sweetly.

"Well, uh, I mean, she will probably feel embarrassed and uh, take it the wrong way, even though she is family – but not like that! – although maybe sometime, in the uh, future," he rambled.

CeCe laughed hysterically, "Baby boy, I'm kidding. Although I would love to have her in the family officially, I'll hold off on the nickname."

He cleared his throat, "Oh… ok."

"My son is in love," her voice faltered.

"Mom, are you going from laughing to crying?" he asked.

She quickly wiped her eyes, "No, no. I really am happy for you."

Eli looked at her oddly and started to stare out the window.

**One Month Later**

"Eli! Wait up."

He turned around to see Fitz jogging up to him. They slowly walked up to The Dot. Everything was good between them but they didn't really talk to one another. There was an awkward atmosphere between them.

Fitz spoke up first, "So uh, how's it going?"

"It's good," Eli answered, "Same old – school, video games, hanging out with Adam and Clare. You?"

He shrugged, "Same. School, working at The Dot, church events."

It was still hard for Eli to believe that Fitz was now involved with church, but he had been genuine since coming back. Eli still had his doubts but it was starting to lessen. They had walked through the doors and went their separate ways. Eli took a seat by Clare at the counter while Fitz went to the back to set his stuff down. A couple minutes later, a cup of coffee was placed in front of Eli.

"On the house," Fitz said.

He was surprised, "Thanks."

"I had to pay for my milkshake, while he gets this for free?" Clare pointed out, "That's hardly fair."

Fitz chuckled and started to take orders. Eli smiled and kissed Clare on the cheek who happily accepted it.

"Ready to get started on homework?" she asked.

He was still close to her, "Can't we do something else…?"

"Passing up on English homework," she teased, "What would Ms. Dawes say?"

He only smirked, "I'm sure she expects this from me by now. So… about that something else…"

Clare turned to him, "If we finish early, then maybe."

Eli grabbed her hand, "Let's go. We have homework to do."

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry, I don't know anything about therapy so that was probably inaccurate. I want to try to incorporate Eli and his sessions but that's going to be a challenge for me. Thank you again for reading. Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I haven't been feeling well and since I'm pretty much on bed rest, I figure it's a good time to update. Haha. Thanks for giving this story a chance! Enjoy!**

* * *

"Pizza, soda, chips, video games, controllers," Sav looked at the table proudly, "Guys night is officially a go."

Eli slumped, "This isn't fair, I've only got one good hand."

Adam scoffed, "As if you could beat me with both hands anyway."

"I smell a challenge," Eli smirked.

"Bring it," Adam ate a chip.

**Hours later**

"Ahh!" Eli yelled, "What the hell, man?"

"Sorry!" Adam yelled back, "I forgot you were on my team."

"Sabotage!" the older boy stated, "My score was higher than yours so you were threatened.

Sav let out a laugh while texting.

"Guys night means no girls," Adam said, "That includes technology."

Sav put the phone away, "It was just Holly J saying 'Have fun.' She's out with Fiona right now."

"Fiona?" Adam asked quietly.

Sav froze, "Oh man, I'm so sorry. I sh –"

Adam interrupted, "Don't worry about it. How is uh, how is she?"

"She's doing better," Sav answered carefully, "From what Holly J has told me. I haven't spoken to her."

The younger boy nodded. Fiona was still a sensitive subject for him to talk about. Everything that had happen between them was still fresh in his mind – Adam blindfolded Fiona and took her to rehab. Fiona told him she never wanted to see him again. They hadn't spoken since. Adam tried to contact her, but she avoided his calls. Fiona finally called back weeks later, but Adam missed the call. He never called her back. The last he heard, Fiona dropped out of Degrassi and was home-schooled. She decided to stay in Canada, since New York was still a sore spot for her.

No one really heard from her, except for Holly J. Fiona was angry at her, but eventually got over it. Holly J was the only one who knew what was currently happening to her. Clare heard from her twice – once to apologize for her behavior at the Lover's Lunch, and another time to say thanks for being supportive. They weren't close, but Clare still wanted the best for her. Eli also got an apology, but hadn't heard from her since.

"She'll come around," Eli said.

Adam sighed, "I hope so. I really cared about her. I was just looking out for her."

"Deep down," Sav spoke, "I think she knew that."

There was a small silence and they heard the front door close. The boys saw Mrs. Bhandari enter.

"Savtaj," she said, "Here are some leftover brownies from Alliah's PTA meeting."

Their mouths slightly watered.

"They shoved it in my face," Mrs. Bhandari scoffed, "Some of those women are so demanding. No wonder their daughters have turned out…"

Anything she was saying was ignored by the boys who stared intently at the brownies. Mrs. Bhandari set the plate down and walked to her room, continuing to complain about some of the mothers at the meeting. The boys immediately grabbed a piece.

"Best guys night ever," Sav said.

* * *

"Alli!" Clare was shocked.

"I know!" Alli replied.

"But how? Why? Whe –" she continued.

"I don't know," her best friend said.

Clare just stared at Alli like she had grown an extra head. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Ok," she let out a breath, "Start from the beginning."

Alli bit her lip, "Ok so you know I'm only allowed to go to the library, your house, and my house, right?"

Clare nodded.

"Well, I called my parents and asked if I could go to The Dot because I was starving and finished my work," she continued, "It took some convincing but they finally said yes. I walked over there, sat on the counter and waited for my order and that's when Fitz came in."

Clare waited to hear the rest of the story.

"His shift wasn't for another half an hour but he had time to kill so I asked him to sit down," Alli smiled, "We started talking about school, family life, friends… and the next thing you know, he asked me out on a date."

"Does Sav know about this?" Clare asked.

Her best friend pulled the tips of her hair, "No, he doesn't. But he knew about Johnny and Fitz is a big improvement from him."

Clare agreed.

"And he's so sweet!" her best friend gushed, "His time away really changed him. He barely talks to Bianca and Owen now."

"Yeah," she took notice of that too – Fitz hung out with some of Degrassi's Christian Club students of the employees at The Dot.

"Is it ok for me to go out with him?" Alli asked.

Clare looked at her, "Why wouldn't it be?"

She looked down, "I mean, considering how my past relationships have turned out. Plus, the whole Fitz/Eli feud."

"I can guarantee you that that's old news," Clare replied, "Eli and Fitz may not be the best of friends but they are on good terms."

"Oh ok," she said, "I wouldn't want things to get weird."

"Everything is fine," Clare assured.

Alli blushed, "I'm excited for our date."

She laughed, "You should be. Fitz is really turning out to be a good guy and you deserve someone who will treat you well."

"Maybe someday I'll have what you and Eli have," Alli said quietly.

Clare just smiled at her best friend's words.

"I see that smile," Alli noticed, "So I'm guessing everything is going well between you two?"

"Everything is great," Clare answered, her smile never leaving her.

"Good," her best friend nodded, "You two have definitely had your ups and downs but it seems to have only made you stronger."

Clare agreed, "I couldn't have said it better myself."

* * *

**A/N: So what do you think? How about Alli and Fitz? It seemed a bit weird for me at first but it grew on me. Haha. In this story, Fitz is going to be genuinely good and he and Eli actually are going to get along. Alli is going to remain in her all girls school, but her and Clare are still going to hang out. Please review! =)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Ahh, I'm SO sorry for not updating faster! I broke my laptop and had to get it fixed. =( It's all better now. Sadly, school isn't over so that's still a priority. I'll do what I can, though! Anyway, here you go...**

* * *

It was Saturday afternoon and Clare was lounging on her bed, reading a book. She heard her cell phone ring and absentmindedly picked it up.

"Hello?" her eyes still glued to the book.

"Hey," a happy voice followed.

She instantly smiled, "Hi Eli."

"Are you free this evening?" he asked.

"I might be," she teased.

Eli chuckled, "Would you maybe like to go on a date with me?"

Clare smiled, "Has anyone ever told you that you can be cheesy sometimes?"

"I've been told," he retorted.

She got up from her bed, "Yes, I would love to go on a date with you tonight."

"Good," his voice still sounded happy, "I'll pick you up at six?"

"Sounds perfect," she answered.

After hanging up, Clare spent another hour reading. She gave herself an hour and a half to get ready – she wanted to take her time. After her shower, she looked through her closet for something to wear. She kept it simple with a white dress with black polka dots. Her hair was kept in its natural curls and was wrapped with a black headband. She decided not to wear makeup but did put some mascara on. At exactly six o'clock, the doorbell rang. There was then a knock on her door.

"Clarebear," Mr. Edwards poked his head in, "Eli is here."

"Thanks dad," she followed him.

Clare walked down the stairs and tried to contain her excitement at the sight of Eli. He was wearing black slacks and a gray button up that revealed a white shirt underneath. They smiled at each other.

"Take care of her," Mr. Edwards warned.

"Always," Eli said.

"Bye dad," she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Mr. Edwards closed the door behind them. In an instant, Eli grabbed Clare's hand as they walked towards Morty.

"So what's the plan?" Clare asked excitedly.

Eli chuckled, "Well no piercings, that's for sure."

She blushed. He squeezed her hand, "Patience."

The drive wasn't far and Clare saw the familiar architecture – Eli's house. She was a bit confused but said nothing. Eli grabbed her hand again and entered through the door. Waiting for them was a living room set in dim lighting with two trays of food.

"Did you cook this?" she asked.

"CeCe might have helped a little," he admitted.

Just then CeCe and Bullfrog appeared down the stairs.

"He almost burned the house down," CeCe laughed.

"Mom," Eli whined.

Bullfrog laughed, "We're going. Have fun, kids."

As the door closed behind his parents, Clare got on her toes and kissed Eli on the cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"I love you," Eli whispered back.

"I love you too," Clare said against his cheek.

He smiled and led her to the couch where the food was situated. Once they got comfortable, Eli started the movie. It was "UP." Clare smiled, she liked this movie. Eli was a fan of it too and bought the DVD shortly after it came out. They made a few comments throughout the movie while the rest of the time was spent eating and enjoying one another's company. Clare was now snuggled into Eli.

_"I hid under the porch because I love you,"_ _Doug said._

"I want a dog like that," Eli commented.

"You want a dog that talks?" Clare asked, "I think I'd be a bit freaked out."

He shifted closer to her, "I just want a faithful dog."

"And a colorful house," she teased.

"With a picket fence and everything," he rolled his eyes.

Clare laughed and kissed his cheek. Eli securely wrapped his arm around her shoulders while she rested her head on his chest. One of Clare's favorite scenes was when Russell received his badge. The movie was coming to an end but she wasn't ready to go home yet. Eli read her mind.

"Ready for another movie?" he opened another case.

"_Wall-E_?" she sat up, "Is it a Disney marathon?"

He shrugged, "Maybe."

"You have _The Lion King _ready to go too, huh?" she laughed.

He just smiled shyly and walked back over to Clare. They were back to cuddling as the movie started. They were only ten minutes in and Eli stopped paying attention. He looked over at Clare examining her – she was glued to the movie, her eyes followed the scene, her lips closed and concentrated. Slowly, he leaned in to kiss her cheek. She turned to face him and their noses touched. Eli looked into her eyes then her mouth. He tilted his head and pressed his lips softly on to hers. Clare wasted no time responding as her hands rested on his chest. Gently, they moved around the couch as Eli settled himself on top of her.

The kisses were sweet and simple. She moved her lips to his, letting him control the situation. Her hands played with his hair, tugging at it. His hands tested the waters by caressing the skin under her shirt. Clare gasped at the contact. Eli lightly kissed her neck.

Clare's voice was coming out in short breaths, "When are your parents coming home?"

"They won't be home until midnight," he said between kisses.

She let out a strangled moan as he continued to kiss her, "Should we move to your room?"

Eli smirked, "I like the sound of that."

Clare pulled herself away, "I just mean… I don't want your parents… We're not going to…"

"Relax Clare, I know," he smiled at her.

She gave him a chaste kiss, "You're so good to me, you know that?"

"So are you," he brushed her hair away from her face, "Better than I could ask for."

Clare continued to play with Eli's hair, "Thanks, but you need some praise too. You're my rock."

"I say we make a pretty great team," he leaned down to kiss her.

"Mmm," she responded, "That we do."

Eli slowly pulled away and helped Clare get up. He paused the DVD while she gathered up the plates. After placing them in the sink, Clare went back to the living room to see Eli had clean up the room. She noticed what he had in his hands.

"Are you really bringing _The Lion King _upstairs?" she laughed.

* * *

**A/N: Hooray a happy chapter. And considering what happened in the finale, I'm guessing this chapter was needed? Haha, please review and thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Ok... Lots to say.**

**1) Sorry for taking so long to update, school has taken over my life.  
2) I'm losing steam for this story because I've just been so tired and this is just challenging for me to write.  
3) School is over! So hopefully I'll be energized to think of more ideas and keep writing!**

* * *

"You're making progress, Eli," Dr. Greensefeld nodded.

Eli smiled, "Thanks. This is… getting easier for me."

"I've noticed," she returned his smile.

"So um," he got up, "Same time on Thursday?"

"Actually," Dr. Greensfeld interjected, "Why don't we just meet next week?"

Eli was a bit shocked, "Oh yeah, ok, that works."

Dr. Greensfeld got up, "Have a great day, Eli."

"You too doc," he exited the room.

Adam looked up from his comic book and saw Eli coming his way. He put the comic in his backpack and met him halfway.

"The Dot?" Adam asked.

"You paying?" Eli joked.

His best friend rolled his eyes and walked out of the building. It took them about ten minutes to get to the hot spot and it didn't look busy. They sat at a table and ordered their food.

"Fiona called while you were at your session," Adam announced.

Eli raised his eyebrows, "Did you answer?"

The boy nodded, "We caught up."

"Ok…" Eli waited for him to continue.

"She's not seeing anyone," Adam said, "But she said she's confused…"

Eli wasn't sure what to say so he remained quiet.

"Fiona said she cared about me and she still does," he continued, "But her caring is different from mine."

Eli wasn't sure what Adam meant and was about to speak up but was stopped.

"She might be into girls."

He just stared at his best friend, all words leaving him.

Adam let out a shaky breath, "Fiona thought Bobby was cute and she liked how she felt with him before the abuse. After a while, she started to feel nothing towards him. When she came back to Degrassi and stared dating me, Fiona was ok with my situation – it interested her. She was attracted to me or rather certain parts of me."

Eli spoke up, "Adam, I –"

He shook his head, "She apologized at least. I guess she's just trying to figure everything out. Fiona was sincere with her apology, though. I still want the best for her and she said the same for me."

Adam kept his eyes on the table as he replayed the scene in his mind. Eli felt bad – Adam seriously liked Fiona and did everything he would for her. As for Fiona, Eli wasn't sure how he felt about her – she rushed the relationship and he thought she wasn't ready; she had a lot going on with her. Eli didn't doubt that Fiona liked Adam, though.

"Why does this keep happening to me?" Adam asked quietly.

"Adam…" Eli started.

He shook his head, "Bianca… Fiona…"

"First off, Bianca shouldn't even be mentioned," Eli interrupted, "Second, Fiona had a lot going on. She seemed genuine but there was a lot more than meets the eye. At least she apologized and is trying to make up for her behavior."

"What if I never find a girl?" Adam sulked.

"You're going to find her," he said confidently, "And she'll be wondering how she got so lucky to be with you."

Adam cracked a smile, "Thanks, dude."

He shrugged, "After all the crap I've put you through, it's the least I can do."

"I guess that's what best friends do," Adam took a fry.

"Is that what we are?" Eli smirked.

Adam rolled his eyes, but his mood had changed to a happier one.

* * *

Clare Edwards always tried to be "perfect" – she went to church, helped out with their food drive, always got no less than a B+ on her report card, joined various clubs at school, finished her homework by 10pm, completed her chores, dressed appropriately, spoke her mind but never overstepped her boundaries, kissed her parents good night, always made time for her friends:

Connor and his Aspergers, Alli and her parents, Fitz and his new-found religion, Adam and his bullying, Eli and his own troubles.

Oh yes, Clare tried to be the definition of perfect.

She never complained about it and if she ever felt like breaking down, she curled up in her bed and read a book. That was her escape, that's what kept her sane.

So when her parents started to argue more and more, she locked herself in her room and read _The Hunger Games_. When Eli's over protectiveness took control, she re-read _Fight Club_. When Alli ran away, she cracked open _Fortnight_. These books helped her forget her struggles, but she still knew she had to face them. The biggest issue was her parents. A part of her still hoped that they would stay together and she found herself working toward that.

Clare excelled in her classes, her teachers always praised her. She volunteered to take on the responsibilities for yearbook club. She also helped Dave with the Grade 10 Representatives. Heck, she even found herself helping Chantay with the Powersquad – twice. She gained the trust of the Bhandari's so Alli could sleepover whenever she liked. What was even more surprising was when Mrs. Torres actually admitted that Clare was one of the best things to happen to Adam.

Her parents continued to argue and if they weren't doing that, they were avoiding each other. It was hard for Clare to spend time with either of them. When she did, she tried to tell them of her accomplishments but they brushed it off.

This fueled Clare to work harder.

Her sleeping habits no longer existed, she always found an excuse to skip meals, she set up a schedule that had to be followed. She had everything in order and she was in control.

Clare Edwards was going to do whatever it takes to get her parents' attention.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you read the Author's Note in the beginning. So yeah... I'm really sorry about my lack of updates and my lack of inspiration. I'm working on it. I hope you still stay tuned and continue to read this story. Please review. Thank you always! **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hello hello! So I'm still writing this story but it's going to be a really slow update. Like I said, it's hard finding inspiration for this story and trying to tie it all together. Thank you always for sticking with me and my story. **

* * *

"Clare honey, dinner is ready," Helen said.

Clare closed the door behind her and made her way to the kitchen. She looked at her watch – she had time.

"Hey mom," she sat down.

Helen smiled, "How was school?"

"It was fine," she answered, "I have a test on Thursday in Biology."

"I'm sure you'll do well," his mother encouraged, "You always do."

Clare felt ecstatic at those words.

Helen sat down, "Your father will be working again tonight. It has certainly been a while since we've had dinner together."

The small girl picked at her food, "I guess he is just caught up."

Her mother didn't say anything further.

After about fifteen more minutes, Clare excused herself from the table. Her mother noticed that she had barely touched her food but she said she went to The Dot earlier, which wasn't entirely false. Her phone rang.

"Hey," she answered happily.

"Hey, ready to get started on that peer review?" Eli asked.

Clare laughed, "Let me get settled. I just finished eating dinner with my mom."

"Well that's good," he commented, "You didn't have anything at The Dot earlier."

"I had some fries," she defended.

Eli chuckled, "Nibbling on my fries doesn't really count."

Clare playfully shook her head, "Let's get started."

* * *

Adam looked around Ms. Dawes' classroom as he took notes on the lecture. Even he was surprised that he was taking notes, but it was an interesting subject. He noticed that Eli was working on his history assignment that was due next period, but tried to play it off as English notes. Adam rolled his eyes to himself, knowing Eli would be asking for his notes later. He then focused on Clare, who was next to him. She was drifting in and out of sleep, her head bobbing up and down while her eyes were closed. Adam frowned – Clare never slept in class; she was always up, listening to her teachers and taking notes. It was usually Eli or himself who were drooling on their papers.

The bell rang and everyone bolted out of the room to get to lunch. The boys waited for Clare as she put her stuff away. Ms. Dawes also took notice of Clare's behavior but didn't want to make too much of a fuss over it. She sent the boys a sympathetic look as she went back to her desk. Clare picked up her green bag and looked at them – her hair was messy, she had slight bags under her eyes, her uniform looked slightly wrinkled but that might have been from sitting.

"So I noticed you were taking notes in class today," Eli acknowledged Adam's good student behavior.

Adam shrugged, "I guess Clare's constant nagging finally got to me."

"I don't nag," Clare mumbled.

He quickly defended, "We know it's out of love."

"Did you take notes?" Eli asked, "I'm sure you don't want Adam beating you as Ms. Dawes' favorite students."

Clare avoided eye contact, "Um… yeah… I got a few things written down."

"Well good," Eli teased, "Because I plan on looking at those notes later."

"Why can't you just take your own notes?" Clare snapped quietly.

The older boy laughed, "Then how would I get my history homework done."

"Gee, I don't know," she said with slight anger, "Do it at home. That's the whole point of _home_work."

Eli was a bit taken aback by the outburst, "Whoa Clare, I was kidding. I did take notes in class and got my history homework finished."

"You still shouldn't have waited so long to work on it," Clare retaliated.

Adam gave Eli a cautious look. This wasn't the first time Clare would snap at them out of nowhere, it had become more frequent the past couple of weeks.

She noticed the exchange, "What?"

"Nothing," Adam quickly answered, "We should get to lunch before all the good stuff is gone."

Clare let out a groan and pushed past the boys.

"Where are you going?" Eli called out.

"Library," she yelled back, "Unlike some people, I try to get my work done ahead of time."

"But what about lunch?" Adam asked.

Clare simply ignored the comment as she disappeared around the corner, leaving the boys to process what just happened.

* * *

Fitz placed the strawberry cheesecake on the counter, earning him a smile from the brunette girl sitting across from him. He smiled back shyly as he handed her a fork.

"You know, it's a shame you're working right now," Alli teased, "I would have given you a thank you kiss."

"Then I guess you're just going to have to save it for later," he gave her another smile.

"You will be getting plenty considering you somehow charmed my parents last weekend," she said, "I still can't believe they approved of you so fast."

"I can be pretty charming," Fitz joked. Alli let out a giggle before taking a bite out of her dessert.

The two quickly stopped their banter as students started to pile in to the restaurant. Eli and Adam were part of that crowd and took a seat on the counter next to Alli.

"Where's Clare?" she noticed.

"Yearbook club meeting or something," Adam answered.

"Does she ever take a break?" Fitz handed them a menu.

Adam snorted, "Don't let her hear that. She might snap at you too."

Alli chimed in, "Another outburst?"

Eli finally spoke up, "It's like the fifth one this week. I know she's stressing out but I wish she would talk to me."

"You know how Clare gets," Alli sympathized, "She tries to be superwoman – taking care of herself and others."

"This relationship goes both ways though," Eli retorted, "She knows she can turn to me for anything."

"We're all there for her," Adam slipped in.

The four of them sat in silence, contemplating the next move.

"Maybe she just needs a day to relax?" Alli suggested, "Like a date night or a girl's night?"

"Well I'm gonna be gone this weekend with my parents," Eli said, "So she's all yours."

Alli nodded, "I'll think of something. I really hope she'll be ok."

* * *

**A/N: I don't have much to say other than review, please? =) Thank you.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hm... I don't have anything to say. Oh, well, Degrassi still isn't mine. Haha. **

* * *

*Ding dong*

Clare stopped organizing the living room and went to answer the door. She was immediately greeted by her smiling best friend, Alli. She laughed as the raven-haired girl entered home with at least four plastic bags in her possession.

Alli sighed, "Ready for our girls' night?"

"You know it," Clare answered.

"I have chips, dip, salsa, chocolate, soda…" Alli rambled on.

Clare coughed, "You know it's only us two, right?"

Alli looked at her, "Well, we've had a rough week so I figured we go all out," she pulled out the DVDs, "I brought my Ryan Reynolds DVDs."

* * *

The two girls lounged on the couch watching _The Proposal_. Alli had a bowl of chips on her lap while Clare nibbled on a chocolate bar.

"Ooh this boy can do no wrong," Alli commented.

Clare just nodded as her stomach growled.

Her best friend looked at her, "You've barely touched the chips. Did you want to order take out or something?"

"I… well… no, I'm ok," Clare answered, "The food here is fine."

"Are you sure?" Alli asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she gripped the chocolate bar tighter.

Alli noticed the behavior, "Ok. Maybe after this movie we'll get hungry. I'm kind of getting there."

Clare remained quiet and focused back on the movie. The rest of the movie was watched in silence. There was a little over half an hour left in the movie and once that ended, Clare chose another movie while Alli ordered food. While in the kitchen, she texted Eli.

_Hey. Is Clare eating?_

Eli responded. _Um, kind of, yeah… She usually nibbles off mine or Adam's plates._

Alli continued. _Does she ever buy her own food?_

Eli replied. _Sometimes, but she picks on it more than she eats it._

Alli thought it over. _And she has been having mood swings?_

Eli answered. _Yeah, Adam hides for cover whenever that happens._

Alli giggled. _Lol ok. I'll let you know if anything comes up._

She put her phone way and walked back to her best friend. Clare was situated on the couch, eating some of the chips. She smiled up at her as Alli sat down.

"Ordered?"

"Yep, I got my favorite and your favorite," Alli answered, referring to the Thai food.

As the movie progressed, Alli tried to take notice of her behavior – Clare ate a chip every once in a while and usually let it sit in her mouth. She still barely touched any of the snacks while Alli had gone through a good amount of it. The Thai food eventually came and they put the movie on hold. They moved to the kitchen to avoid any further mess.

Clare grabbed a bit and set it on her plate, "So how are you and Fitz?"

Alli blushed a little, "Everything is good. He has been so sweet and understanding. My parents adore him. Plus, working at The Dot means free drinks."

Her best friend laughed, "That sounds like a dream."

"Speaking of sweet and understanding," Alli said, "How's that boyfriend of yours?"

"Eli is doing really well," Clare answered, "We're doing well. I couldn't be happier."

Alli smiled, "That's great. You two are great together."

She picked at her food, "Yeah, he's always there for me. Especially because of my parents."

"And how's that going?" Alli asked tentatively.

She sighed, "I don't know anymore. They tell when they're together and they complain about each other when apart. They're here during the weekdays, but in the weekends, I only see one of them. I go to church with my dad one weekend, my mom the other weekend."

He best friend looked at her with sympathy.

"I spend most of my time at school now, only coming when they call. Sometimes I'm at Eli's place or even Adam's but I don't want to over extend my stay," she continued.

Alli reached for Clare's hand, "You can come over my place too. My mom misses you."

Clare smiled, "Next girls' night will be at your place."

They laughed briefly and resumed eating. Alli noticed Clare picking on the food and eating some of it. There was still so much leftover and she was concerned.

"Clare…" Alli took a breath, "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

For a second, Clare looked scared but recovered, "I don't think so. Why?"

She hesitated but continued, "I've just noticed that you barely touched your food… And this isn't the first time…"

Clare continued to push her food around.

Alli continued cautiously, "You know I'm here for you, right? Me, Eli, and Adam. You can come to us for anything."

"I know," her best friend said quietly, "I appreciate it, I really do, but I've got everything under control."

Alli didn't believe her but nodded, "I'm sorry, I'm just concerned about you. You're my best friend."

"Thank you," Clare smiled, "But everything is under control. It's ok."

"Ok…"

As the night was coming to a close, the girls moved to Clare's room. They cleaned up the living room before Clare's mom came back home and moved everything to the new hang out spot. Clare took a seat on her bed, while Alli went to the computer.

"You're not going to spend the whole time online, are you?" Clare teased.

"I'm just catching up on the latest Degrassi gossip," Alli responded, "My school is so boring."

"Which is probably for the better," she reminded her best friend.

Alli agreed, "True. It's so much more fun reading about the gossip than actually being in it."

While Clare was preoccupied with her book, Alli quickly went on chat and saw that Eli was online. She tried to be discreet with her motions.

_Hey._

Eli quickly answered. _Hey, any news?_

All thought about it before answering. _I might have an idea, but I don't want to jump the gun._

Eli took a second to respond. _Ok… What are you thinking?_

She typed fast. _I think she might be borderlining in an eating disorder? I'm not entirely sure but I remembered being lectured about it in one of my classes._

He took a few minutes to answer. _Oh wow. That's a really big assumption._

Alli heard Clare shift on the bed. _I know, I feel bad but I'll look more into it. Anyway, I have to go. Let's just keep this between us, yeah?_

Eli answered back. _Yeah, sure. Look after her. Have fun._

Alli signed off and turned her attention back on Clare, a sigh escaped her lips as her best friend buried herself in the book.

* * *

**A/N: I should mention this - I tried really hard to portray the possible eating disorder route. I read up on it, researched it, and tried to incorporate into this story the best I can. If I'm off, please let me know. Thank you for reading. Please review? =)**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: It has been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry. I'm trying to find inspiration but seeing all the promos and pictures for Season 11 isn't helping. I will definitely finish this story, though. I can't have it incomplete. It'll just take a while. **

**Thank you always for sticking by this story.**

* * *

Eli continued to glance at Clare as they worked on a group project along with Adam. Her mood swings had minimized but she still had a few outbursts. She still had dark circles under her eyes, but she tried to mask it with a smile. Eli couldn't help but worry about her after what Alli said. He read up on eating disorders and tried to see if Clare had any of the symptoms, but he was still cautious. He and Alli continued to look out for her and decided to keep the information to themselves for now.

"Adam, you're doing it incorrectly," Clare said.

"How?" Adam asked, "Ms. Dawes said to look online for sources."

She quickly answered, "But that isn't the right way to look for it."

"It seems right to me," he mumbled.

"Well it's not," she snapped.

Adam jumped at her words while Eli watched the scene unfold.

Clare grabbed the laptop, "Just let me handle out. You and Eli work on the next section."

"Um, Clare," Eli said gently, "I think Adam was doing a good job."

"Don't you have history homework to do?" she glared.

Adam picked up the worksheet, "I'll get started on the next section."

Clare sighed, "I'll handle this. It has to be done a certain way or else we won't get full credit."

"I highly doubt that," Eli looked at her.

"We need to do well," she said, "I need to do well. It's… It's the only thing that's keeping my parents' attention."

He leaned in closer, "What are you talking about?"

She kept her eyes on the keyboard, "When I do well in school, my parents praise me. They stop fighting for a little bit and they tell me how proud they are. For a small second, everything is ok."

Eli reached out for her hand, "Have you tried talking to them?"

Clare kept silent. Adam slowly came back with a few books in tow.

"I got the books the worksheet asked for," Adam quietly sat back down.

Clare said sincerely, "Thanks, Adam."

The sudden mood change brought a smile to the boy's face.

* * *

Clare came home to an empty house, which she was relieved about. Both of her parents had events to go to tonight so she didn't have to listen to their constant fighting. She placed her stuff in the living room before going to the kitchen to get a snack. She looked through the cupboards and found a lot of the choices appealing but she couldn't bring herself to grab anything. She sighed and went back to the living room.

After setting up all her books, she turned on the tv for some background noise. Clare was on a good roll, finishing her science homework and math homework in a little over an hour. She went through her check list again, to make sure everything was in order, and then took a little break. Commercials seemed to be the only thing that was on the tv but she didn't seem to mind. She watched with admiration and slight jealousy at the teen girls who looked like they had flawless bodies and could do almost anything. It took a few minutes for her to take her eyes of the screen but she finally managed to get back on task.

Her phone rang and she saw that it was Eli.

"Hey," she answered happily.

"Hey you, how's the homework going?" Eli asked.

She looked at her work, "It's ok. I got a bit distracted with the television, though."

He laughed, "Don't get too distracted, you don't want Adam as the number one student in Dawes' class."

She laughed, "I can't have that happen."

There was a small silence as they both started to work on their homework. Clare was struggling with the English assignment but she didn't want to ask for help just yet. She tapped her pen on the desk and her mind started to wander. She stared at the tv and thought of the commercials that popped up. All she could think about were the girls in the commercial and she started to examine herself.

"Clare…"

She continued to scan her body.

"Clare!"

She jumped, "Oh Eli, I'm sorry."

"Is everything ok?" he sounded frantic.

"Yeah… I guess I got distracted again," she said lightly.

"Maybe you should turn off the tv," he suggested.

Clare followed the suggestion.

"It's turned off," she told him.

"Good. Did you get far on the assignment? I'm almost done," Eli said.

She looked at her paper, "Oh. I got stuck on one of the questions."

"Why didn't you ask me for help?" he asked quietly.

"I just thought I could do it myself," she mumbled.

"Eli?"

"Hm?"

"Am I… good enough?"

"Clare, you're perfect."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm being serious."

"So am I," he said.

She sighed, "It's just… My parents… They're so wrapped up on themselves that they don't even know what's going on with me."

"What do you mean?" Eli interrupted.

Clare continued, "I try so hard to be perfect. I'm trying so hard to get everything back to normal. But I can't. I can't control what's going on around me and it's driving me crazy."

"Sometimes," he tried to be careful with his words, "Sometimes you just have to let things happen and maybe it will work itself out."

"What if it doesn't?" her voice was breaking.

"Well, things happen for a reason," he said, "We may not always like it but we can work with it."

Clare kept quiet before gaining her composure, "You're right. Things will eventually be ok."

"Did you want me to come over?" Eli asked.

"It's a school night," she reminded him.

"Can't you just say we have a group project to work on?" he tried to convince her.

Clare laughed, "All right, come on over. I doubt my parents will really say anything anyway."

Eli smiled, "I'll see you in a bit."

She laughed to herself at his enthusiasm.

"Eli, wait!"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Eli sighed, "We're a team, remember? If there's anything you want to talk about or anything that I can help with, I'm here for you."

Clare looked down at her work, "How did I get so lucky?"

"Oh I'm sure you can thank me with some kisses…" he said playfully.

She played along, "Well then, come over here already."

* * *

**A/N: Leave me a review and let me know what you think, please? Haha. Thanks again for sticking by this story. I'm doing the best I can and I'd hate to disappoint you all.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Oh ok. So I finally have an outline for this story! I know where I wanna go with it and I'm hoping that I still have steam to write it. Haha. Thank you for reading!**

* * *

"_I can't eat that…"_

"Oh whatever, you look great. I definitely can't have any of that!"

"The food here is disgusting."

"Why can't I look like her?"

"I wish I could look like that."

Clare sighed as she looked down at the cafeteria food on her tray. All she seemed to have was mac and cheese, an apple, and a water bottle. Hearing the girls talk about food and weight discouraged her further from eating. She continued walking through the cafeteria looking for Eli and Adam. She was so focused on finding them that she didn't realize someone was in front of her.

"Oof!"

"Oh, Holly J," Clare gasped, "I'm so sorry."

The older girl waved it off, "No worries. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, are you?" she asked.

"Good to go," Holly J smiled.

Clare smiled back. She noticed the senior was going through a few papers while checking her phone.

"Hey… You don't look so well," Holly J observed.

The younger girl blushed, "I'm just tired. Busy with school, projects, clubs."

Holly J laughed, "I know exactly what you mean. Listen to your body and get some rest when you can."

"Thanks, Holly J," Clare said kindly.

The older girl lightly waved before walking away.

"Um, Holly J?"

She turned around and saw Clare hesitantly walk up to her, "How do you handle it all? Vice president, SAT prep, holding a job and an intern, maintaining straight A's… You're as involved as I am but you manage to keep it all together."

Holly J smiled, "Well, there's usually a schedule or a pattern I follow. I've been keeping myself busy for so long it has almost become second nature."

Clare nodded, realizing they had that in common.

"But I also know that it's ok to take a break and hang out with friends," she continued, "If I didn't have Fiona and Anya, I'd probably go crazy. We'll have sleepovers, go to the mall, and other little distractions to keep things in balance."

The younger girl tried to soak in the words. Holly J saw a slight change in her demeanor and tried to encourage her.

"It's great that you work hard, Clare. I admire that and I'm sure others do too," she said, "But don't forget to take a break and have some fun. There was a time when I would get so caught up with my academics, I neglected what was happening to me and my body. An incident at my internship was the wakeup call I needed."

"Oh," Clare looked up at her, "Thanks Holly J."

She smiled and gave her one more piece of advice, "Like I said before, listen to your body. You need to make sure you're ok before you dive into a heavy workload."

As Clare watched Holly J walked away, another voice popped up, "Hey!"

She turned around and saw Adam.

"Eli is waiting for us over there," he motioned with his head, "Let's go. I don't want to eat cold mac and cheese."

She couldn't help but giggle at his comment, "Only you would like cafeteria food."

"It's not that bad," Adam defended, "I might take a bite of yours if you don't finish it."

"Hm, we'll see," she shook her head but smiled at her friend.

* * *

Clare couldn't stop staring at the mirror.

She looked at her reflection and she was unhappy. She could do more to improve herself – mentally and physically. She could do more to get her parents' attention. She looked at her neck, her arms, her stomach, her legs… She could do more but she wasn't sure if she could ever be happy.

Slowly, the tears fell. Clare tried to stop them but they continued to fall down her face. She delicately sat down in front of the mirror and let her cries echo in the room.

Eli knocked on the Edwards' door and waited for Clare to answer. It usually took a minute for someone to open the door, but this time was different. He knocked on the door again and waited. He looked around and saw that Clare's parents weren't home. Eli called Clare's cell phone but there was no answer. Sighing, he turned the knob which, to his surprise, was unlocked. He closed and locked the door behind him, thinking Clare forgot to do so.

He went up to Clare's room but stopped in his tracks when he heard crying in the bathroom. Slowly, he opened the door and saw Clare curled up, her hair a mess, clothes disheveled, and tears streaming down her face. In an instant, Eli ran over to her and wrapped her in a hug.

Eli immediately called Alli, "Get to Clare's. Now."

Clare continued to cry, "I'm never going to be good enough."

"Clare," Eli held her tighter, "You're more than good enough. This isn't healthy."

"I'll be fine!" she sobbed, "I'll be fine!"

He massaged her hair, "I think you need help."

"I don't need help from anyone. I can control this, Eli!" she continued to fight.

Eli gripped her shoulders, "Clare. I love you. I don't want anything to happen to you. None of us do. Please… Listen to me."

Clare looked into his eyes and continued to cry. She collapsed into his arms, silently agreeing with him.

"Alli is on her way," he told her, "We're here for you, Clare. I'm not going anywhere."

"I never…" she sobbed, "I didn't think it would get so carried away."

Eli rocked her back and forth, "It's ok. It's going to be ok. I'll help you any way I can."

"I'm sorry," Clare whispered.

"Don't apologize," he said, "We'll get help when you're ready. I know a few good places."

She lightly laughed at his humor, "I probably look like a mess now."

He shook his head, "No, you look great. You always do."

Clare rested her head on Eli's chest, feeling herself get worn out. He he kissed the top of her forehead, trying to pour every emotion he could into that gesture.

* * *

**A/N: Ugh, I remember writing this and cringing because I was hoping that I was portraying everything correctly and realistically. I also felt bad that I was making Clare go through this. Thank goodness Eli was there to help her, right? **


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I don't own Degrassi. Yeah yeah. If I did though, there would be a lot more happiness.  
Oh ok… So this is the timeline: Eli and Clare got together in February, right? And Vegas Night was in April, right? So this is about six months later (which I mention), which makes it October… Sorry, this needs to be established.**

* * *

Eli sighed as he struggled to stay awake while working on his history homework. He was just assigned it today but since he had to wait for Clare, he figured he would try working on it. Unfortunately, he only got through one question before falling asleep. He decided one more nap wouldn't hurt.

A pair of hands covered his eyes, "Guess who?"

"Fitz?" he guessed, "When did you start wearing vanilla perfume?"

The mystery person laughed sarcastically before taking a seat, "Very funny."

Eli only smiled as he leaned in to give Clare a kiss.

It had been close to six months since Clare's breakdown and she had improved. After speaking to her parents, they decided to seek help and it turned out to be a good choice. Clare still struggled with her body image but as the days progressed, it became less of a problem for her. Eli couldn't have been any more proud of her. Of course, Eli was going to therapy as well and he had also been improving. He was assigned to take pills but it was only if it was necessary. Most of the time, he just had to talk or write out his problems rather than hold it all in. Clare stood by his side and continued to support him.

"Yearbook meeting is over?" he asked.

She nodded, "It's a new school year and there's already so much to do."

Eli looked concerned.

"But," Clare continued, "I decided to take a little break and let the others take all the different sections."

Eli only smiled further and gave her another kiss – one of the things Clare had to work on was taking on all responsibilities.

"Does that mean I get to spend more time with you?" he asked.

"Of course," she answered happily, "But you're going to have to compete with Alli."

"Joy," Eli said sarcastically, but he was only joking. He looked back down at his homework, "We're barely a month into the new school year and teachers are already loading us with the assignments."

"And I thought Grade 12 was supposed to be an easy year," Clare teased.

Just then, Helen's car came by and patiently waited for Clare. She smiled and waved over at the two. Ever since Eli proved to her parents how much he cared and respected Clare, Helen started opening up to him.

"I better get going," Clare got up, "Mom is still a bit overprotective."

Eli nodded in understanding, "We're still on for that double date this Saturday?"

"Of course," she said, "Alli has been bugging me about it all week."

"I'll see you tomorrow," he gave her a hug. Kissing in front of her parents was still awkward. Eli gave them one last wave before heading on home.

* * *

Once he entered the house, Eli smelled CeCe's cooking and knew that dinner would be ready soon. He put his stuff in his room and walked into the kitchen. CeCe just smiled as she set stuff down on the table.

"Where's Clare?" she asked.

"Dinner with her mom," he helped her out.

She nodded, "So Helen has finally warmed up to you? I remember it took a few months for Bullfrog's parents to start liking me."

For some reason, Eli found that hard to believe. Her mom was one of the sweetest people in the world.

"Let's just say dinners were awkward," CeCe continued, "I was shaking because nerves had gotten the best of me. His mom was pretty intimidating."

The table was finally set and she took a seat, "But after I brought over some homemade cookies, they were hooked."

"How long did you and dad go out for?" Eli asked out of curiosity.

"Five years," CeCe answered in an instant, "We met in college – my freshman year, his sophomore year – we got engaged a little after I graduated and we were married the following year."

"How did you know that you wanted to marry Bullfrog?" he continued.

She thought about it for a second, "I just kind of knew. Don't look at me like that, Eli! I know the answer doesn't make much sense but that's how it was for me. Your father and I just sort of fit, we balanced each other out, we had our differences but we understood each other."

Eli looked down at his plate, soaking it in.

"No relationship is easy," CeCe continued, "But if you care and love the other person, then you'll do what you can to work on it."

Eli knew that she was referring to himself and Clare.

"You're not thinking of proposing to Clare now, are you?" CeCe lightly joked.

Eli's eyes widened, "What? No. I don't… I can't… She would… I… That… N-n-no –"

His mother couldn't stop laughing, "Oh honey, I'm just kidding. Relax."

He slowly calmed down and played with his plate, avoiding his mom's stare.

"Eli," CeCe said, "I love Clare and you've never smiled wider whenever she's around."

"T-thanks," Eli mumbled.

"Just don't get eloped without telling me and your father," CeCe got up and moved to the stove.

"Mom!"

Bullfrog suddenly walked in, "Whoa whoa, what's going on?"

"Eli is going to propose to Clare," CeCe nonchalantly said.

Bullfrog took a seat, "It was only a matter of time."

Eli could feel his ears burning as he got up, "I am not discussing this!"

"I'm almost done with dinner!" CeCe told him.

* * *

**A/N: Hooray Goldsworthy parents! Haha. I've got the next couple of chapters lined up and everything seems to be going in order. Thank you again for your reviews, favorites, and alerts. **


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Gah, ok! So I like typing up the other chapters of this story before I post so that's what I've been up to. I'm losing steam for this story only because the new Degrassi episodes have been depressing when it comes to Eclare. I hope they can work it out, individually then together.**

* * *

"Clare?"

"Yes?"

"Do these shoes match my outfit?"

Clare turned around and stifled a laugh, "I think you might want to go with sneakers or something. We are going mini golfing after all."

Alli looked down, "You're right. I'll be right back."

Clare only laughed as her best friend hurried back up to her room. While she waited, she took a look at her own outfit – since it was chilly outside, she wore jeans, a green top, a black cardigan and black flats. Just a few minutes later, Alli made her way downstairs with a new outfit – jeans, a blue top with a pink jacket and sneakers.

"Better?" she asked.

"Yep," Clare answered, "Definitely golf worthy."

As if on cue, the doorbell to the Bhandari household rang and Alli rushed to the door. She was immediately greeted with a kiss on the cheek by Fitz. Mr. Bhandari walked in from the kitchen.

"Mark, it's good to see you," he greeted.

Fitz nodded, "You too, sir."

"I trust you will bring Alliah and Clare home safely?" he asked.

"No later than 11pm sir," the teenage boy assured.

Mr. Bhandari smiled, "Have fun."

"Wow Fitz," Clare commented, "They must really love you."

Alli laughed, "Not even Sav is as lucky."

The three of them exited the house and made their way to Eli's hearse. Clare smiled when she saw his face and immediately got inside to give him a kiss. They piled into the car and made their way to their destination. The four of them decided to make it into a competition with Alli and Fitz against Clare and Eli.

"Just remember," Eli said as they got their clubs, "Losers buy winners ice cream."

"Just you wait," Alli said, "Sav and I did this growing up. We're pros."

Fitz laughed and gave her a high five.

"We'll see about that," Eli smirked and playfully nudged Clare who smiled back.

"Alright alright," Fitz started walking, "Let's get this started. I'm craving some rocky road ice cream."

Alli linked arms with him, "You read my mind."

A few rounds in and Alli and Fitz were beating Clare and Eli. The latter couple started off pretty well but as the levels got harder, they saw just how good Alli really was. Fitz was doing a great job too. They were all having a fun time so it wasn't too competitive. Alli always greeted Fitz with a quick kiss whenever he got a hole in one and he did the same. Eli and Clare weren't so lucky but they snuck in a few kisses while they weren't looking. It was a relief to be able to hang out without the former animosity between the two boys.

Fitz shook his head, "I love that we're winning, Alli, but you're beating me by a long shot."

Alli giggled, "Sav and I are competitive. I was always better than him when it came to mini golf."

"We need to make a comeback," Eli stated.

"Remember to aim, Eli," Clare teased.

"Oh yes, because the water is where the ball is supposed to go," he retorted back, rolling his eyes.

As the date was slowly winding down, the four relaxed at a nearby ice cream parlor. Eli and Clare paid for the Fitz and Alli's ice cream after winning at mini golf.

"Ahh victory," Alli smiled as she took a bite out of her ice cream.

"I gotta admit," Fitz complimented, "That was really impressive."

"Told you I was a pro," she leaned in to give him a kiss.

Eli rolled his eyes as Clare coughed obnoxiously.

Alli retorted, "Oh please, as if you and Eli aren't the same way!"

"That is true," Eli shrugged as he leaned over to give Clare a kiss.

"I'm trying to eat my ice cream here," Fitz said quietly. The four of them laughed and enjoyed the rest of the evening.

Clare and Alli were back at the Bhandari household, getting ready to watch a movie. However, they were both preoccupied texting their boyfriends.

_I had a fun time, _Eli texted.

Clare smiled, _Me too. But clearly we need to work on our mini golf skills._

He responded, _Lol I didn't expect Alli to be that good._

_She can surprise you_, Clare texted.

_I thought you two were going to watch a movie? _Eli asked.

She rolled her eyes, _I'm waiting for her to stop texting Fitz and choose a movie._

He teased, _Well it's not like you're doing any better._

_Ha ha ha_, she simply replied.

"Clare! Get off the phone and help me choose a movie," Alli playfully yelled.

"Oh whatever," the auburn haired girl laughed, "That phone is practically attached to you now."

"Well it's not like I get the luxury of seeing my boyfriend everyday at school," Alli said.

Clare thought about it, "You're right. I win."

Alli laughed, "This is great. I'm doing well in school, I get to go on double dates with my best friend, and my parents are totally ok with it."

"It's safe to say everything is going well?" Clare asked.

The brunette nodded her head and sighed, collapsing into the pillows, "Life is so good."

"I'm so happy for you, Alli," Clare said, meaning it.

"I'm happy for you too," Alli smiled, "I know you and Eli haven't had it easy, but you two have come so far. A love story for the ages."

Her friend laughed, "That's a bit extreme."

The brunette looked at her, "Well that's what it seems like – good girl with issues helps bad boy with issues, they hit a boiling point but persevere and their love grows stronger."

"Ohhkay," Clare shook her head, "And what about you? You have an interesting story to tell too – good girl loses her way trying to rebel from her parents but finds her way back and meets a good guy along the way willing to help her."

Alli smiled, "I think we could write a novel about our lives."

Clare agreed, "And to think, we're only in Grade 10… I can only imagine what will happen by the time we graduate."

The girls laughed as they playfully threw out ideas of what they could write about in their novel.

* * *

**A/N: I'm still going to put in all my effort into this story and give you guys something great. I hope it still catches your attention. I've got an outline, which I'm sure I've mentioned, and that definitely helps me. Please review and let me know what you think!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I think part 2 of "Extraordinary Machine" has sparked some inspiration for me. I'm still writing away so I'll update when I can. Like right now! Oh so in this story, Morty was fixed. Yep! =D**

* * *

Clare shivered as the December air blew at her direction. She tried to snuggle into her blue coat but her hands were occupied with the gifts in her hand. After a few more minutes, she finally saw Morty make his way to the front of her house. Clare hurriedly made her way to Eli.

"I told you to wait inside," he said.

She gave him a quick kiss, "I was excited. I've never been over a boyfriend's house for a Christmas dinner."

CeCe invited Clare for an early Christmas dinner since Eli and his family was spending Christmas Eve and Christmas with his family in Montreal. They were leaving tomorrow so the two were spending the whole day together. Eli parked his car and helped Clare with her presents.

"You didn't have to get my parents something," he said, "They'd just be happy that you're coming to dinner."

"I can't not get them something," she countered, "They've been nothing but supportive. Besides, you got my parents something too."

They entered the house and were immediately greeted by Eli's parents. CeCe ushered them into the living room and told them to stay there as she finished up in the kitchen.

"Clarabelle, you brought us presents," Bullfrog exclaimed.

"As if she wasn't sweet enough," CeCe entered the room again, "Here, take a cookie. I know we haven't had dinner yet but in the spirit of the holidays."

"Thank you," Clare said as she and Eli grabbed a sweet.

"Oh honey, I wish you could come with us to Montreal," CeCe smiled, "But I guess we can't be too selfish and pull you away from your own family. You're always such a delight to have around."

Clare felt warmth in her words, "I'm sure it would have been fun."

Bullfrog shook his gift, "So… Uh… What did you get me, Clarabelle?"

CeCe scolded him, "Put that gift down, Bullfrog! Sometimes you're worse than Eli."

The four laughed at his antics and spent the rest of their evening enjoying each other's company, with dinner, movies, and singing. Along with Eli's gift, CeCe and Bullfrog got her a gift which they had her open before she left. It was a simple gift – a blue scarf that lightly matched her eyes. Clare loved the gift and instantly wore it as she headed back home.

"I hope your parents like their gift," she got inside Eli's car.

He laughed, "Pictures of them in college and a picture of them now? They're gonna love it and reminisce about it all day when they open it."

Clare leaned over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, "My parents are going to love their gift too."

He smiled, "I hope so. I'm never good at shopping for parents."

They reached her house but an unfamiliar truck was parked in front of them and she saw movement in her house. She got out of the car and leaned on Morty. Clare squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look at who was in her kitchen. Eli made his way to her.

"Everything ok?" he looked at her.

She shifted in her place, "Yeah, I think we have visitors."

"Did your mom tell you?" Eli asked.

"I can't recall her telling me," she said.

The two made their way to her door and slowly opened it. They were immediately greeted by Helen, who had a big smile on her face.

"Clare, Eli," she continued to smile, "Come on in. We have guests."

The couple followed Helen to the kitchen. Randall was talking to the man, while the boy played with his phone.

"Clare," she started, "This is Glen and Jake Martin. You remember them, right?"

The three guys looked up to see the couple standing there. The young girl looked a bit confused before widening her eyes at the realization.

"Oh," she said, "Of course I remember them. It's nice to see you again, Mr. Martin, Jake."

The two guests smiled.

"Like I was saying, Darcy is in Kenya doing some charity work so Clare is the only one here," Helen said, "She just came back from Eli's."

Clare held Eli's hand, "This is Eli, my boyfriend."

"Nice to meet you," Eli replied.

"You too," Glen smiled, "And it's good to see you again, Clare."

Jake gave Clare a shy smile.

"Did you want to stay for a bit, Eli?" Randall asked, "We just finished dinner but there's still some dessert left."

"Thank you Mr. Edwards but I should probably get going," Eli replied kindly, "An early day tomorrow. Have a Merry Christmas."

Randall smiled, "Thank you. I hope you and your family have a safe trip and a Merry Christmas."

The couple started to make their way to the door.

"I see your parents are getting along," Eli commented.

Clare rolled her eyes, "It's probably just an act for the Martins. Plus, Christmas is coming up and I don't think they want me switching parent to parent."

Before they closed the door, Helen came up to them.

"Oh before I forget, Glen and Jake are spending Christmas with us," she said quickly before going back into the kitchen.

Eli said, "Christmas with another guy? Should I be jealous?"

Clare laughed, "I doubt it. I barely know the guy and I'm sure I'm going to be texting you the whole time."

"I'll be looking forward to it," he smiled.

Clare wrapped her arms around Eli's neck as she leaned up to kiss his lips. They were a bit glossy, but he didn't mind. She pressed her lips a little further since she wouldn't be seeing him for days. Eli held her close, putting his hands on her hips. He moved his lips with hers, letting the kiss take over. The kiss lasted for minutes and neither of them wanted to let go. It was only when Eli's phone started ringing that they pulled away.

Eli pulled his phone out, "Leave it to my parents to ruin the moment – Hi mom. Yes, I'll be home soon. I'm just saying bye to Clare. Ok, see you in a bit."

Clare kissed his cheek, "Have a safe trip. Text me when you get there."

"Of course," Eli leaned in to give her one last kiss.

* * *

**A/N: Ahh yes, Season 11 is inspiring some of the chapters coming up. Have no fear though, it's just inspiring – It won't be a complete copy of it. This is an EClare story after all. Let me know what you think, please? **


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Shoot. School has started again. It's my last semester, though! I'm both excited and scared of what's going to happen next. Anyway, on to the story right? ;)**

* * *

"Clare?"

The auburn haired girl looked up to see Jake Martin standing awkwardly in her kitchen.

"I think your mom wanted us to run some errands?" he sounded uncertain, "Something about getting familiar with the town again."

"Oh. Right," she said, "Hold on."

Clare turned her attention back to the laptop, "Katie? I have to go and run a few errands."

The girl on the computer screen rolled her eyes but smiled, "Fine. Just remember to turn in your section to me before we get back to school."

"We've got a few weeks," she said, "I'll submit it. I promise."

Jake walked over to Clare and peered over her shoulder. He immediately saw the brunette on the screen.

"Oh," Katie said, "I didn't know you had someone over."

Clare turned around, "Yeah, Katie this is Jake and vice versa."

"Hi," Katie waved and smiled, "Are you friend or relative of Clare's?"

Jake smiled, "Hi. I'm an old friend of Clare's, you can say. I just moved back in town."

Katie asked shyly, "Will you be attending Degrassi next semester?"

"Yes I will," he answered.

Clare noticed the exchange and tried to hold back her laughter, "Jake is in Grade 11 with you, Katie. Maybe you can give him a tour?"

"Yeah," she piped up, "I might be able to do that. If that's ok with you…"

Jake smiled wider, "That sounds great. I'd like that."

* * *

Clare and Jake walked down the street with a few bags in hand, enjoying the cool weather.

She laughed, "You barely know her and you're already crushing on her?"

"Katie is cute," he shrugged, "And you said she is single."

"Yeah yeah," she dismissed them, "I saw the flirting."

He smiled, "So I'm not the only one crushing."

"I've got to admit," Clare said, "Not many guys interest Katie and you seem to have gotten her attention within a matter of seconds."

Jake looked at her, "Do you think I have a shot?"

She thought about it, "She's a tough one – soccer star, straight A student, in charge of the yearbook and Daily Degrassi. She can be real sweet but real straight forward."

"I think I can handle that," he sounded confident.

Clare shook her head but laughed as they made their way to Jake's truck.

* * *

It was now Christmas Day and everyone was up and moving at Aunt Delia's, Eli's aunt, house. Eli looked at his cell phone, waiting to hear from Clare. He missed her and texted her every chance he got, but her responses weren't as often. He tried not to think too much of it because she was probably just busy – working on the yearbook before the deadline, helping out her parents, getting reacquainted with… Jake.

Eli never got a chance to know Jake and he seemed like a good guy, but he was still unsure. He looked confident when he sat in Clare's living room and the two of them did have a past together. Eli knew Clare would never cheat on him, but he was still wary of the idea of Jake spending Christmas with Clare.

"Eli, get over here and help me out," Evanna called from the living room.

Evanna was Eli's cousin who was the same age as him. Their personalities and looks were similar and were often mistaken for siblings. Evanna had medium length brunette hair with green eyes. She was currently carrying her baby brother, Rider, in her arms. More people were entering the house getting ready to celebrate the holidays.

"Here, take Rider while I help my mom put gifts under the tree and all the other fun stuff," she softly transferred Rider to Eli.

He stood awkwardly, swaying back and forth as he tried to figure out what to do with his baby cousin. His phone started to ring and he saw that it was Clare calling. He sat down on the couch to prevent any mishaps.

"Hello," he said happily.

"Eli! Merry Christmas!" Clare exclaimed.

"Merry Christmas, Clare," he missed the sound of her voice, "How's it going in the Edwards' household?"

"It's not so bad," she replied, "They're getting along for my sake and the Martin's."

"Ahh, and how is Jakey boy?" Eli smirked.

"He's fine," Clare dismissed it, "I'm just trying to get Jake familiar with the town. It was like he never left."

That comment didn't settle well with Eli, "Oh. That's cool."

She giggled, "Am I sensing jealousy?"

"No," he immediately said.

She giggled some more, "Oh Eli, don't you worry."

Eli smiled, "I know."

"And how is Aunt Delia's?" Clare asked.

"It's not so bad," he mimicked, "I'm helping where I can while Evanna constantly makes fun of me for checking my phone for your texts."

She felt bad, "I'm sorry… I've just been busy, got caught up with things."

"I understand," he really did.

_"Clare, your mom is calling you."_

He heard Jake in the background.

"I guess I should get going," Clare sounded sad.

"It's ok," Eli also sounded sad, "I've got to help out around here too."

"Merry Christmas, Eli. I love you," she said quietly.

"I love you too, Clare," he said, "Merry Christmas."

_"Come on, Clare. We have to take pictures," Helen called for her daughter._

"I'm coming, mom," she said.

_"Yeah, Clare, we need to capture that awesome sweater of yours," Jake teased._

_The phone sounded muffled, "Shut up, Jake!"_

_The two shared a small laugh._

"Sweater?" Eli asked.

"A not so… appealing gift from my aunt," Clare whispered, "I'll show you when you get back."

_"Clare," Helen called out again._

She focused back on Eli, "I've gotta go. Merry Christmas, again."

"You too," he replied, "I'll talk to you later.

The couple hung up and Eli was looking at Rider, who was slowly waking up.

"I have nothing to worry about with Jake and Clare, right buddy?" he almost felt silly for asking.

The baby just blinked at him and grabbed his shirt.

"I sure hope so," Eli sighed.

* * *

**A/N: Just some Cake interaction. But in this case, I wanted to give them more of a sibling vibe. Clare is with Eli and she's happy… Plus, Jake seems to have an interest in Katie. Eli is a bit uneasy with Clare's relationship with Jake but that's because he never really got to meet him and talk to him. Let's hope this unfolds nicely. **


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Ugh, so stressed and busy with school. I'm so sorry, this story has been put on the backburner and I'm trying hard to write it/outline it. I hope you're still interested. =)**

* * *

Adam nervously straightened the front of his shirt, "Thanks for coming with me."

"Anytime," Eli said as Clare nodded.

The three of them walked inside The Dot and tried to look for familiar face. It didn't take them long to see Fiona by the window, with a cup of coffee in front of her. She gave the group a nervous smile and waved them over. The four made their way to her.

"Adam," Fiona breathed, "Hi."

"Hey Fiona," Adam smiled, "You look nice."

She looked down, "Oh, thank you. So do you."

She looked at the others, "Hi Clare, hi Eli."

"Hey Fiona," they answered.

"I hope you don't mind that I asked them to come along," Adam spoke up.

Fiona shook her head, "Not at all. I can get out all my apologies in one sitting."

"Apologies?" Eli asked.

"Yeah," the older girl answered, "My therapist suggested I apologize to those I've hurt."

The three quickly ordered their drinks as Fiona let out a sigh, she seemed to struggle on where to begin.

"Eli, Clare," she looked at them, "I want to apologize for my behavior during the brunch. As you saw, I wasn't being myself – I was tipsy to the point of being drunk. I was nervous meeting you and I didn't want to embarrass myself, but I did regardless. The last thing I wanted to do was be a bad reflection on Adam. He really is a great guy."

Clare spoke up, "It's ok Fiona, we understand. Thank you for apologizing. How have you been doing since?"

Fiona let out a sigh of relief, "I'm doing really well. I've been getting help, seeing a therapist, and trying to find a new and safer outlet for my stress."

"That's really good to hear," Clare encouraged.

The older girl continued, "Adam, I owe you a tremendous apology. I never meant to hurt you and I understand if you don't believe me –"

"Of course I believe you, Fiona," Adam quietly interrupted.

She let out a genuine smile, "Thank you. I did genuinely like you, like I said on the phone so many months ago. I'm sorry the feelings weren't the same as what you felt for me."

Adam smiled too, "It's ok. I just want to make sure you're ok now and it seems like you are. As for me, I'll be just fine. I'm sure another girl will come along and just be completely charmed by me."

The four laughed at the joke, glad to have eased the tension.

Fiona's laugh subsided, "I'm sure she will be – you're quite the gentleman, Adam Torres."

The rest of their conversation softly transitioned to a catch up on everyone – Fiona was returning to Degrassi to finish up credits; Adam was once again in Science club and was thinking of helping Connor and Wesley with a major science project; Eli was taking his senior year easy but focused his energy into English and any writing opportunities Ms. Dawes presented him; Clare kept busy with Degrassi Daily and the yearbook.

Just then, Clare's phone rang.

"Oh, excuse me," she got up to answer it, "Hey Jake."

Eli tensed up but then tried to play if off. It didn't go unnoticed.

"Jake?" Fiona carefully asked.

"An old friend of Clare's," Eli answered, "Just transferred to Degrassi. Who transfers their last year of high school?"

Adam shrugged his shoulders, "It happened to Drew's friend at our old school."

"Whatever," Eli mumbled.

Fiona tried to hold back a knowing smile.

Eli noticed, "I'm not jealous."

"I didn't say you were," she just smiled further.

Adam let out a small laugh. Clare made her way back to the table.

"I have to get going," she looked sad.

"Oh," Eli said, "Did you need me to drive you?"

She shook her head, "No it's ok. Jake is on his way."

"Jake?" Eli didn't sound too happy.

"Apparently, my mom invited them for dinner again," Clare started to rant, "Ugh, my dad is gone for a few days and the Martins are all of a sudden taking his place…"

She choked on those last words and Eli felt bad, "Your mom probably just wants them to feel welcomed."

Clare rolled her eyes, "They lived here before. Sure, Jake is pretty cool to hang out with but I think he can make other friends."

A red truck then appeared in her point of view, "Oh speaking of…"

Adam laughed, "Try not to kill the guy on the way home."

Clare scoffed and then turned her attention to Fiona, "It was nice seeing you again, Fiona. I'm sorry it was onl for a short time."

"I'm sure there will be other times," Fiona said, almost hoped.

"I'd really like that," Clare said sincerely, "Why don't we exchange numbers? Maybe you can come over for girls' night with me and Alli?"

Th older girl's eyes lit up, "Oh are you sure? That does sound like a wonderful idea."

Clare nodded her head and the two exchanged numbers. She turned her attention to Eli.

"I'll call you later," she said. 

"Of course," he replied.

The two leaned in for a quick kiss and Clare was out of the door. Eli watched her get into Jake's truck.

"Oh yeah," Adam commented, "Not jealous at all."

Fiona bit her lip to hold her smile.

"I'm not jealous," Eli countered, "Just concerned."

* * *

Clare closed the door to the truck and gave Jake a small smile.

"Why is your boyfriend glaring at me?" Jake asked.

"What?" she turned her head to see Eli's gaze on them, "Oh, I think he's just making sure I got in the truck safely."

Jake wasn't too convinced, "Oh all right. I just didn't want him to think I was going after you or something."

She laughed, "What makes you say that? I hang out with Adam and Eli isn't bothered by that."

He shrugged, "It's not like Eli really knows me. I met him once before Christmas and all he knows about me is that you and I used to be good friends and I spend a lot of time with you… Mainly because of our parents."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," she assured him, "If Eli has a problem with it then he'd tell me but I don't think there is a problem in the first place."

Jake still had his doubts but dropped the subject, "So are you ready to go to dinner?"

Clare rolled her eyes, "Oh joy."

* * *

**A/N: I'll try to put out the next update as soon as I can. I'm working on it now… I just need to remember to update it. Please review. Thanks for reading!**  
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	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Ack, okay, so I've written the next couple chapters already so I should be able to update them in a few days. No promises, though, because I get caught up with school. And enough from me, here you go!**

* * *

Fiona and Eli walked out of English class and headed for their lockers. The older girl sighed, looking at her paper.

"I don't know how I'm going to survive Dawes' class," she sounded upset.

"You know I'd be happy to help," Eli offered.

She smiled, "I think I might need it."

As the weeks went by, Fiona had found her transition back into Degrassi an easy one. It was a strange concept to not have Holly J and Anya by her side, but she still kept in touch with them. Holly J had gone off to Yale and had rekindled her relationship with Declan, which made Fiona incredibly happy. She was already like a sister to Fiona and a small part of her hoped that she would make the role official in the future. Anya was attending University of Toronto and was having the time of her life. She was still undecided on her major, but still had plenty of time to think about it. Whenever they had a weekend free, Fiona and Anya would catch up.

She was proud of her friends and knew it was only a matter of time until she could join them. In the meanwhile, Fiona would just spend her time focusing on school and her new friends – Clare, Eli, and Adam. The meeting at The Dot dissolved any tension they once had and she looked forward to the days where she could hang out with them. Fiona even offered to host girls' night at her place, which Alli and Clare happily accepted.

He chuckled, "Well I'm only a phone call away. Just don't call me at two in the morning or you might get an angry response."

Fiona laughed, "A girl needs her beauty sleep, Eli. I will be calling at a decent time and expect me to call."

"I will be waiting hand and foot," Eli joked.

"Thanks Eli," she replied.

The pair continued to walk down the hallway, ready to get to the cafeteria. They stopped in their tracks when they saw Clare outside of the journalism room with Jake. It almost seemed like they were arguing until Clare cracked a smile, which Jake returned. Eli tried to hide his jealousy. The pair then turned to see Eli and Fiona standing there. Jake waved at them before entering the journalism room.

"He's joining Degrassi Daily?" Fiona was curious.

Eli mumbled, "Yeah, more time to spend with Clare."

They stopped talking as the younger girl approached them.

"Hey," Clare smiled as she greeted the older students.

"I see Jake is by your side again," Eli commented.

The auburn haired girl gave him a funny look, "Am I sensing jealousy?"

"No," he simply said, "Just an observation."

Fiona shook her head, "And this is my cue to leave. Bye guys."

"Bye Fiona," Clare replied.

The couple then walked over his locker in silence. This seemed to bother Clare. Her mind then started to think of Jake and how uncomfortable he felt about Eli. The last thing Jake wanted to do was get on Eli's bad side but Jake couldn't help but feel that he was slowly getting there. Eli never said anything to Clare so she never thought much of it. Sometimes his actions would lean towards jealousy but he held himself back. She was starting to regret ignoring his actions.

"Ok Eli, what's going on?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said, "I just don't see why Jake spends so much time with you."

"He's new –"

"I'm sure he could have made new friends by now."

Clare looked at Eli curiously, "Wait, are you seriously jealous? You know I'd never look at another guy the way I look at you."

That seemed to calm Eli a bit, "I know. I trust you. It's him I'm just cautious about."

"Eli," she started, "Believe me when I say that Jake and I are like siblings. He doesn't see me in that way and I definitely don't see him as anything more than a brother."

He still a seemed a bit uneasy about the situation so she grabbed his hand. He struggled with her a bit but finally let her drag him along.

"Come on," she smiled.

Clare led Eli back to the journalism room. They took a quick peek inside – Jake and Katie were sitting close to each other, smiling and laughing. Jake tucked a few strands of Katie's hair behind her ear, which caused the girl to blush.

"Jake is into Katie," Clare softly said.

"Oh," Eli felt silly.

Just then, the two juniors looked up from where they were sitting and made eye contact with the couple. Jake and Katie slightly pulled apart, and attempted to look busy – Katie started to arrange papers while Jake took out his phone and pretended to write a text. Clare and Eli felt bad for interrupting and quickly left the scene.

"He has been asking me questions about her, trying to get to know her," she explained, "I kept telling him to just talk to Katie and he finally listened."

"Oh," he answered again, "I feel like a fool."

Clare laughed, "You should. But you're my fool. I wish you had just told me you felt that way."

He suddenly blushed, "I didn't want to seem too… Possessive or clingy. I know that was a problem before."

Her tone softened, "Oh Eli, just talk to me. We're passed that now. It's ok."

She softly leaned in to kiss his cheek, "I guess I should have picked up on your jealousy and spoke to you, too."

Eli couldn't help but smile, "Admitting to our mistakes. We have certainly made progress."

Clare smiled, "We make a pretty good team."

"That we do, Edwards."

* * *

**A/N: Woo! Happy EClare! There will be more happy EClare chapters along the way. Thanks for continuing to read my story and putting up with my lack of updates. Until next time!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Two updates within a week? Not too bad, huh? Haha. Like I said, more happy EClare coming your way!**

* * *

Clare was shivering, the rain continued to pour as she tried to walk faster. Finally, she reached her destination – Eli's house. She started knocking and hoped someone would answer soon. It took a few tries, but the door finally opened.

"Clare? You're soaked."

Eli quickly ushered her into the house and immediately sent her to the bathroom to change. After a few minutes, she emerged back into the living room.

"I forgot the key to my house and no one was home," Clare explained, "I thought I could make it to your place before the rain hit."

He smirked, "That went well. Why didn't you just call?"

She shrugged, "At the time, the weather was still nice enough to walk in."

Clare didn't hesitate to snuggle into Eli on the couch.

"Won't your parents worry?" he asked.

"No," she said, "My dad has the house this weekend and I already called him. He'll be home late tonight so he suggested I just stay for the night."

"Really?" this surprised him.

She nodded, "He has let me done it before. He trusts us."

That made Eli smile and he slowly leaned in to give Clare a kiss. She responded eagerly as their lips met. Her lips were soft, a feeling that Eli loved. Her hands started to move to his hair as his hands settled on her waist. Their lips moved in sync as they pulled each other closer. Neither of them paid attention to the TV since they were so lost in themselves. It was only when Eli felt lightheaded that they took a break.

"We haven't done that in a while," he smirked.

Clare giggled, "Maybe we should move this to your room…"

He lifted an eyebrow, "Edwards, my little minx."

A blush formed on her cheeks, "I just mean if your parents come and all."

"I know," Eli smiled at her, "Let's go."

It didn't take them long to transfer rooms. Eli opned the door and showed Clare the results of his room. She was pleasantly surprised – his room was not as cluttered as before; papers were thrown away or stacked neatly, any random figures had been cleared, the posters were still around. She looked over at him and he had a shy smile on his face.

"Your room looks great," she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I'm glad you like it," he pulled her closer, "My room is getting there."

"We have come a long way," she kissed his cheek.

He smiled, "I am certainly enjoying these kisses from you."

She teased, "Oh do you now?"

Eli only laughed as he captured Clare's lips in a slow, patient kiss. They held each other for a few minutes until she took a step back. He followed her movements and they found themselves on his bed. The kisses were still slow and gentle, neither of them rushing as they lay content in each other's arms. Clare's hands weaved its way to Eli's neck. Eli's tongue grazed Clare's lips and she happily complied. The kiss started to get more heated as Eli's hands pressed against her hips. Clare tugged on his hair and he couldn't help but let out a small groan. Slowly, he moved to her cheek then down to her neck. She sighed at his actions, letting him continue.

"Oh I could get used to this," she whispered.

He stopped momentarily, "You're beautiful."

She let him continue his ministrations, "I lucked out with you."

"I could say the same," he said against her.

Clare pulled him back up, "I love you Eli. You're my rock."

Eli smiled, "And you're my muse."

He rolled over so he was now lying side by side with Clare. They enjoyed the silence between them and Eli started to close his eyes. There was a quick shift, which he noticed.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

"How do you know something is on my mind?" Clare was surprised.

He kept his smirk to himself, "I think I know you well enough."

She shifted some more and propped her elbow to face Eli. Clare softly spoke, "Do you… Ever wish we… Did more?"

He quickly opened his eyes to turn to her, "What makes you say that?"

"We've been going out for a year," she sighed, "And all we've done is explore under the shirt? I don't want to hold you back."

"You're not holding me back, Clare," Eli assured her, "The pace we're going at is just fine as long as you're comfortable. You know I'd never pressure you for anything more."

Clare softly spoke, "So you're not bored? You don't feel restricted?"

He quietly laughed, "Not at all. Every minute I spend with you is always an adventure - whether we're talking about Palahniuk, hanging out with Adam and Alli, or fooling around without or shirts on."

The last comment caused her to blush.

"I wouldn't ask for anything more from you," he pulled her close, "I respect your vow and I'm willing to wait until a different type of ring is placed on that finger."

Clare teased, "So you've thought about our future?"

This time, Eli was the one at a loss for words, "Well I mean – It has crossed my mind – Not that I'd ask you right now – Not that I don't want to ask you! – I just mean –"

"Eli!" she was laughing, "I was just teasing. Relax. I've thought about it too."

Those words seemed to put him at ease, "So you can see yourself being with me for a long time?"

"For a very long time," she snuggled into him, "I love you."

"I love you too Clare," he securely wrapped an arm around her.

There was another silence as the couple closed their eyes, letting their tired bodies rest. They were almost to the point of fully falling asleep before Eli softly whispered.

"Get some sleep, Clare. We have a whole future to look forward to tomorrow."

* * *

**A/N: I enjoyed writing this chapter. I was smiling while I was writing it. I think I'm having EClare withdrawals. Seriously, I see posts about EClare on tumblr and a part of me melts a little. Haha. I wonder what's in store for them for the second half of season 11.**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I don't know if I can top that last chapter. Haha. We'll see how this story progresses. I kind of enjoyed this chapter too. Thanks for continuing to read this story!**

* * *

The following morning, Eli woke up to see a smiling Clare by his side. He was a bit confused but then remembered that she had slept over.

"How long have you been up?" he asked.

She just shrugged, "A few minutes really."

They leaned in for a small kiss. Eli went to use the bathroom first then Clare. While she was gone, an idea came to his head. He walked over to his drawer to look for a certain object. He turned around just in time to see Clare had come back.

"I have something for you," Eli handed her the small box.

She looked at it curiously and took it. Slowly, she opened it for see a ring inside, it was a simple design – a white gold band with a small diamond. Clare's eyes widened.

"I – I was going to give this to you during our one year anniversary but I thought it was too soon," Eli explained.

Clare couldn't stop staring at the jewelry.

"I know we're only a few months into our one year but after our talk last night, I thought it was appropriate –"

"Eli," she stopped him, "This is beautiful. Can I – Can I wear it?"

He chuckled, "Of course."

Clare took off her current ring but Eli stopped her.

"That ring means a lot to you," he smiled, "We can put it on this finger."

He put the new ring on her right hand, ring finger. Clare couldn't help but admire it.

"Oh Eli," she sighed.

"Think of it as a promise ring," he said, "To our future."

"To our future," she echoed, "It's perfect."

* * *

"He gave you a promise ring?" Alli shrieked over the phone.

"Yes," Clare said excitedly, "It's so pretty and it means so much to us."

Alli sighed, " Ugh, you two are so cute."

The auburn haired girl giggled, "Oh please, Fitz got you a necklace."

"I guess I'm pretty lucky too," her best friend said.

There was a knock on Clare's door. Randall poked his head in.

"Ready to go, Clarebear?" he asked.

She nodded at him, "I have to go, Alli."

"We'll discuss this later!"

She hung up and walked over to her dad. Since the divorce, Clare and Randall barely had any time for each other. Her dad suggested a monthly father-daughter date and she quickly agreed. Clare was happy – she missed her did since he spent most of his time at the condo. They used to have father-daughter dates when she was younger and decided to bring it up again. They took their seats and waited for their server.

"So…" Mr. Edwards started, "How are you doing, Clarebear?"

Clare smiled, "I'm doing really well. School is the same – Oh, Katie is considering me for editor next year."

"That's great," he said, "My daughter, the editor."

She laughed at his enthusiasm, "It's just a thought for now."

Mr. Edwards looked at his daughter in admiration, "I'm so proud of you, Clare. After everything you've gone through – that we might have put you through – you've come out of it stronger and smarter."

"I love you and mom," she looked at him, "I just want you to be happy and it looks like you are."

"Ahh, I don't have to worry about you," he commented, "How are you and Eli doing?"

She blushed, "We're ok. He has been great. He has been working hard at school since it's his later year. He has also been respectful."

He nodded, "Eli is a good guy. I approve of him.

Those words seemed to comfort Clare.

"I also noticed you've added to your jewelry collection," he casually mentioned.

She only blushed further, "It's just a promise between us – that we'll work on our problems together, be good to each other, and hope for the best for our future."

Mr. Edwards chuckled, "I was sixteen before, I know how it works."

Their food finally came and Clare couldn't have been any happier. She loved talking to her dad but relationships were always an awkward conversation for her. Clare's parents thought she was too young to date but after the divorce, they had changed their views. Both of her parents were also dating and as long as Clare behaved herself and continued to do well in school, they were fine with her dating.

"I was worried," Randall set down his utensils, "I was worried that the divorce would affect you somehow in regards to your views on relationships."

Clare looked at her father, hoping for more information.

He continued, "I know the divorce wasn't easy on you – the yelling, the fights, the accusations – and I was afraid that it would cause you to become bitter about things.

"Your mother and I loved each other very much," he stated, "And we love you and Darcy unconditionally. We might not have worked out but that doesn't mean you and your sister will have the same luck."

Clare could see the worry disappear from her father's eyes, "I think Eli has taught you that and I'm thankful he has."

"Oh dad," she choked out.

He let out a small laugh, "I didn't want to get too sentimental but that's just something I've been meaning to tell you after the divorce was finalized."

Clare couldn't help but feel lighter, "Dad, everything you and mom have taught me is never going to leave me. I'll make mistakes but I'll learn from them because I have you two looking out for me. These father-daughter dates are far from over."

"I'm glad to hear you're not getting rid of me anytime soon," Mr. Edwards smiled.

"Never," she said confidently.

* * *

**A/N: Ok so I liked the relationship Clare and her dad had but now he has disappeared from Degrassi an dthat slightly bums me out. I know he cheated on Helen but in my eyes, before I found that out, he was still a good guy... I guess I wanted to stick with that. I just feel like there needs to be closure or something. Anyway, please and thank you for the reviews.**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: I still don't own Degrassi. Here's the next chapter. Let me know what you think. Again, sorry for lack of updates, I really am working on that. =/**

* * *

Eli looked at himself in the mirror. Blue vibrated from his reflection and he couldn't help but smirk – This was really happening.

He was graduating.

The day had finally arrived. He survived high school – the cliques, the drama, the breakdowns, along with the pranks, the smiles, and the occasional naps in class. There were some memories he would always remember, while the others remained locked away.

A flash broke his thoughts and he turned to see CeCe standing by the door.

"Oh baby boy…" she choked on a sob.

Eli rolled his eyes, "Mom… Seriously?"

"This is a big moment for me and your father," she retorted, "I damn well will cry and make a scene when you walk up there."

He continued to give CeCe a funny face but went along with the pictures taking to make her happy. After a few more minutes, they made their way to the school. It didn't take long for Eli to find his friends and quickly greet them. He spotted Fiona a few rows down and they waved at each other before taking their seats. Clare smiled over to him and that was all he needed as the ceremony began.

"Wow, Eli," Adam gave him a high five, "I can't believe you graduated."

"Thanks," he said, "Soon enough, it'll be your turn."

"Believe me," Adam laughed, "I'm already counting the days."

Clare shook her head at the response as she focused back on Eli, "Congratulations, graduate."

"Thank you," Eli smiled. He leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss.

"Can I take a picture with my fellow graduate?"

The melodic voice caught their attention as they turned to see Fiona beaming with pride. Mr. and Mrs. Coyne stood by their daughter's side with identical expressions. Holly J and Declan followed right behind them.

"Congratulations," Holly J spoke for the both of them. Declan nodded at their direction.

"Thank you," Eli replied, "And just so you know, I took good care of Fiona."

Holly J playfully glared, "You better have."

"Eli!"

The three turned to see Alli and Fitz making their way over to them. Fitz's graduation gown was already unzipped as Alli dragged him through the crowd. They shared a fist bump as Alli hugged him and Fiona.

She shimmied, "Look at us Clare, dating college boys."

The girls giggled to themselves while the boys rolled their eyes. Just then, another familiar face appeared in their vision.

"Jake!" Eli called out.

Jake turned to Helen and Glen who hugged him and said their goodbyes. He seemed relieved to be out of their sight.

"Congrats," Eli shook his hand.

He smiled, "Same to you."

CeCe had weaved her way through the crowd, "Aww look at you boys and Fiona, of course! Quick, I need pictures!"

Eli, Fitz, Jake, and Fiona awkwardly stood next to each other and smiled for the camera. CeCe continued to snap more pictures of the group until Bullfrog managed to take the camera away from her.

"You're all coming over later tonight for the graduation party?" she asked them.

"Of course," Clare assured. Fiona nodded.

"I'll be a bit late, family dinner to celebrate Drew's graduation," Adam explained, "But we'll drop by."

"Same here," Fitz answered for him and Alli.

CeCe beamed at their answers, "Great. You all have the address? Ok – Bullfrog, it was just a question! – Ok, we'll see you then."

The group started to separate after a few more pictures were taken.

Eli walked up to Clare, "I feel bad for asking this but is it ok if you get a ride with Jake? My mom wants me and Bullfrog to run all these errands with her before the party."

"You're out of school and your mom is already making use of your free time," she giggled, "Go and hang out with your parents… But tonight, you're mine."

"Always," he said sincerely.

Clare's emotions were heightened as she threw her arms around Eli's neck and gave him a long, slow kiss. Eli picked her up for a couple seconds, enjoying the public display of affection. It was only the sound of a camera that stopped their action.

"Oh, I'm definitely framing that," CeCe commented.

Eli blushed while Clare hid behind him. Jake's laugh could be heard in the background.

"I'll see you two later," Eli shyly smiled at them.

Jake and Clare started walking. They were stopped along the way when Katie spotted them. The three posed for pictures and gave her the information for Eli's party tonight. After a few more minutes, they finally made it to his truck.

Clare closed the door, "This year went by way too fast."

"Tell me about it," Jake agreed, "I only moved here a few months ago and now I have to move my stuff to my dorm."

"Toronto University," she remembered, "At least you've got one friend there – Eli said yes to their admission."

He joked, "Maybe he and I will get an apartment and wait for Adam and Fitz to join us."

She joked back, "That's a disaster waiting to happen!"

"Hey!" he retorted, "We can take care of ourselves."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that," she rolled her eyes.

They stopped at the light, "That's it. Get out of my truck."

Their bicker continued until they reached Clare's house. Neither of them were paying attention as their laughter escaped their lips. Clare closed the door behind her and a noise came from the kitchen. The teens looked at each other as they walked towards the noise.

"Clare!"

"Jake!"

Helen and Glen stared at their kids in shock – Helen's blazer hung loosely on one shoulder, Glen's shirt was halfway unbuttoned and their hairs were a mess. They were tangled in an embrace and it was obvious that they were doing more than just hugging.

The two teens stood wide-eyed at their parents. Silence reverberated in the whole house.

"Oh," Clare said very quietly.

Slowly, she backed away and turned around. She reached for Jake's wrist as they exited the house. They made their way back to the truck and sat in silence, trying to blink away the image.

Jake spoke first,

"What the hell was that?"

* * *

**A/N: I should clarify – Fitz is going to a community college first then University! It's not a major detail but I figured I'd just clear the air about that. So what do you think of Helen and Glen? It was a bit similar to the show but I did try to change it up a bit.**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: School is wearing me down and I'm losing so much steam with this story. I'm struggling with this story. As I've said, updates won't be as often. Sorry about that. =/**

* * *

"So you caught them making out?"

"Adam! I don't need that vision in my mind again."

"Sorry."

"Clare, maybe you should stay at my house for a bit."

"Thanks, Alli."

"Hot chocolate to take the image away?"

"Very much needed, Fitz."

"So are you and Jake going to be related now?"

"Adam!"

"Ow Eli! Violence is not the answer."

Clare pleaded, "Can we please talk about something else?"

"Where's Jake?" Eli asked.

"He spent some time at the cabin," Clare answered, "And when he comes back, he's spending all his time with Katie."

Alli remembered, "Oh that's right, Katie got into Banting…"

Fitz leaned on the counter, "They're going to try to work it out?"

"I think so," Clare nodded, "They're pretty committed to each other."

Eli noticed she looked at her ring and gave her a shy smile. They were going to work out their relationship too. It was a new chapter for them and it was both scary and exciting. They didn't have a set plan on visiting one another but they liked it that way – just seeing how their week looked.

Just then, Eli's phone rang. He looked down to see that it was his cousin calling.

"Oh shoot," he hissed, "I should have been home half an hour ago. My cousin, Evanna, is visiting."

Eli leaned over to Clare and gave her a kiss before getting up and saying goodbye to the others. Clare watched him leave and turned her focus back on the ring on her finger. She couldn't help but smile.

"Seriously though, are you and Jake going to be related now?" Adam joked.

Clare groaned as Alli punched him.

* * *

Adam adjusted his shirt as he tried to keep up with Clare, "Slow down Clare."

She continued walking, "We should have been at Eli's ten minutes ago."

"Blame my mom for that," Adam rolled his eyes, "Sorry."

"It's ok," she smiled at him.

They finally reached the familiar home and the door was instantly opened by a brunette girl.

"Clare!" she hugged the startled guest.

"Evanna," she choked out, "How are you?"

"I'm good," Eli's cousin hugged her tightly, "I haven't seen you in so long. Can you believe Eli graduated? Soon it will be your turn and we can throw you a dinner party."

Clare loved Evanna's enthusiasm, "We've still got a year for that."

She finally let go and saw another figure to her left, "Oh hello."

Adam just looked at her, unsure of what to say. Evanna giggled to herself.

Suddenly it clicked to her, "Oh you must be Adam, Eli's best friend. Nice to meet you."

Clare had to nudge Adam who finally snapped out of his trance, "Uh hi… I'm Adam…"

Evanna only smiled wider, "Well come on in. Eli is still getting ready – I swear, he takes longer than I do – Everyone else is there, though."

"S-sorry we're late," Adam managed to stutter out, "I h-had trouble picking out a shirt."

Evanna stopped at her tracks and faced him, "Hm," she checked him out, "Nice color. I like green."

She turned back around just in time to miss Adam's goofy smile as he tried to fix himself up to look more presentable. Clare tried to hold back a laugh. Eli came down the stairs, adjusting his tie.

"Hey," he greeted them, "I hope you weren't waiting too long, Cece had to force me into this tie."

"I think you look great," Clare leaned up to kiss his cheek, "And Evanna has kept us company."

"Yeah," Adam sighed, "Evanna…"

Eli rose an eyebrow, "What's with him?"

Clare whispered, "I think he has a crush on your cousin."

"But he just met her," he scoffed.

She rolled her eyes, "I'm sure it's nothing. Just a quick crush."

"I'm keeping my eye on him," Eli followed close behind, "She is my cousin after all."

She teased, "Look at you playing big brother."

He gave his cousin and Adam one last look before turning his attention to Clare.

"So how are things at home?" he asked.

Clare shrugged, "It's not so bad. It turns out my mom and Glen started seeing each other a month after Jake moved back. They were planning on telling us if it was going to be serious and it looks like it is. Jake and I had dinner with them after a week of _that_incident."

"How do you and your dad feel about it?" he asked further.

"My dad was kind of surprised, considering he knows that Martins," she explained, "But he really does want my mom to be happy."

"And you?"

She looked at him, "I want her to be happy too."

Eli couldn't help but kiss her, "You always were the logical one in the relationship."

"And the cuter one," she smiled jokingly.

He laughed, "You're also so modest."

"I get that from you…" she leaned in and held him close.

Eli enjoyed her warmth until CeCe and Bullfrog came into the living room.

"Aww, well if it isn't my son and daughter-in-law," his mother cooed.

Eli's eyes widened at the statement while Clare blushed, "Mom!"

She only dismissed him, "It's only a matter of time. You know, your father and I got engaged after I graduated."

"But you graduated from college," Eli countered.

"Some find their true love earlier," CeCe told them with a smile.

Bullfrog held his wife close, "If I had met your mother any earlier, I would have asked her to marry me as soon as I could."

They looked at each other and leaned in for a kiss. The kids awkwardly stood there, thinking they would stop but as his parents continued, they slowly walked away into the kitchen.

"Sorry about that," Eli shyly responded.

Clare's blush was slowly disappearing, "It's ok. Your parents are happy and in love, they just want the same for you."

"I am," he whispered.

"Me too," she softly answered back.

They gave each other a small smile but their thoughts were the same.

_Maybe someday._

* * *

**A/N: So if you all are still reading this story, thanks! I really do appreciate the support but I've hit a bit of a writer's block. I'll do what I can and I'll definitely finish the story because I hate having something unfinished. It might just take a while. **


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